The Spark that Fueled our Fire
We are often asked, “What made you start Project Wild Rooted?”. Well, it all started almost a year ago with a casual conversation around a bonfire with friends. That conversation created some sleepless nights of dreaming about what our perfect “school” would look like. We quickly realized that we didn’t have the funds to build our masterpiece, but what we did have was passion, determination, and a boat load of hard work to get this grassroots program off the ground. We knew we would have to start small but we would continue to dream big! One thing lead to another, and in just ten short months of our doors opening we are now serving close to 400 families throughout the surrounding areas. Project Wild Rooted was created to serve our future generations.
We saw a need in our community for a program that offers opportunities for kids to explore and wonder about the natural world.
We understand the importance of science literacy to develop environmental stewardship within our youth so that we can maintain a sustainable future.
We give children opportunities to be proficient in more than just skills measured within standardized tests. We teach life skills through unique experiences within our program’s camps and workshops.
With any life altering decisions there are some risks involved. Questions came up that we didn’t have answers to.
Is building a business as middle aged women a good idea?
Will people see the value in our services?
Will this program be sustainable?
Is it worth it?
We still may not have the answers to all of those questions, but we do know the answer to one of them. Is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! What makes it all worth it? THE KIDS! It is such a joy to be with these kids as they gain confidence, skills, and resilience. They are truly the driving force of our program. We get to view learning at it’s finest! Moments in which a teacher yearns for. It may be seeing kids overcome their fear as they find enough courage to use a power tool for the first time. Or seeing the proud smiles emerge from children’s faces when their struggles end in accomplishment. And we cannot forget about feeling the children’s excitement and love for learning. It is truly an amazing feeling, almost like fuel for our fire! A fire that all began from a little spark created one cold night around a bonfire.
