IOTR Commits $100,000 Grant to OTF
The Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, the leading provider of outdoor skills, safety, and conservation curricula to schools across the country, received a $100,000 grant from the International Order of T. Roosevelt to fund a partnership to increase the awareness and education of youth on wildlife conservation.
“This dynamic partnership between two leading conservation organizations is an ideal match,” OTF Executive Director Sean McLelland saying. “Through him, we will work together to engage youth in outdoor education across the country. OTF’s Outdoor Adventures curriculum is used in schools in 47 states, making it a perfect partner for IOTR to achieve its goal of promoting wildlife conservation.”
McLelland accepted the grant at the IOTR meeting in Naples, Florida, in late April.
“As the nation’s leading conservation group, the International Order of T. Roosevelt is proud to partner with the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation to reach the future men and women of the outdoors,” IOTR Executive Director Lucas Hilgeman saying. “Through this partnership, we can educate the next generation on the importance of the conservation lifestyle so that we can protect our heritage in the future.”
OTF operates through its Outdoor Adventures program, a fun and interactive course where students are taught lifelong skills using a 34-unit integrated curriculum comprised of math, science, writing, and critical thinking skills. 300 detailed lesson plans cover Angler Education, Archery, Hunter Education, Boater Education, Orienteering, Survival Skills, Camping, Outdoor Cooking, Challenging Courses, Backpacking, Mountain Bike Camp, Paddle Sports , Rock Climbing, Shooting Sports, CPR/First Aid, and Wildlife Medicine. OA teachers can choose units specific to their region and local ecosystems.
Founded in 1981 in Dallas, the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public non-profit organization. For many schools, the grant money offsets the cost of the program, plus OTF offers matching funds for equipment as new schools join. The resulting classes can be taught as a physical education course, local elective, or with agricultural science and wildlife management.
The Outdoor Adventures educational program is offered in 1,070 schools in 47 states across the country, with more than 90,000 students participating each year and more than 550,000 graduates of the program. Each OA student spends 180 hours learning outdoor education per year. The program has totaled 18 million outdoor education class hours to date.
Named for conservation pioneer Theodore Roosevelt, the International Order of T. Roosevelt is a proactive hunting and conservation foundation focused on upholding the American model of wildlife conservation.
Morning Outdoor Foundation
Since 1981, the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) has fulfilled its mission to teach outdoor education and promote wildlife conservation through the Outdoor Adventures program, currently in 1,070 schools across the country. The curriculum, which has impacted more than 550,000 students since it began, is accessed by 110,000 students annually in 47 states, including archery, shooting, fishing, camping, first aid, boater safety, hunter education, cookout outdoors and more. The OTF also provides equipment grants, free workshops and teacher training and is accredited by each state’s state parks and wildlife commissions. To learn more about the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation and how to bring the Outdoor Adventures curriculum to a school near you, visit gootf.com.