Update: Powder7 donated $2,748.14 to the Outdoor Lab Foundation after our 7% day on March 7. Thanks for helping us support this awesome organization!
On Thursday March 7, Powder7 will donate 7% of sales to the Outdoor Lab Foundation—the longest continually running outdoor education program in the western United States.
The Outdoor Lab Foundation’s programs immerse 6th graders and high schoolers from Colorado’s Jefferson County in an outdoor academic setting. Throughout the school year, students spend five days at one of two schools. They participate in classes and activities that help them grow, learn, and discover the natural world.
Shop Powder7 to help benefit Outdoor Lab Foundation on Thursday March 7
“Kids get on the bus as regular sixth graders who haven’t been away from home or outside,” says Outdoor Lab’s Deputy Executive Director Paige Brophy. “They leave as matured kids with newfound leadership skills and an appreciation for stewardship.”
The Outdoor Lab Foundation is 62 years old.
The Living Classroom
Key to the programs’ success are the locations of its two outdoor schools. The 225-acre Windy Peak site, located outside Bailey, and the 525-acre Mount Evans site near Evergreen both host an astronomy center, a trout pond maintained by Trout Unlimited, and historic buildings. Students stay in dorms and cabins below sweeping—and inspiring—vistas.
At both schools, students dive into earth science, wildlife biology, astronomy, and forestry. They develop problem-solving skills, build teams, and learn how to make well-informed decisions. Class subjects range from archery to the hydrosphere, navigation to geology.
Programs balance academics with outdoor activities—like a low-ropes course and an all-day hike.
And while the Foundation’s longevity is impressive, its reach really turns heads. Every Jefferson Country 6th grader takes part in an Outdoor Lab program. The schools’ alumni number 385,000.
Looking ahead, Brophy underscores the importance of community support to help the schools serve a new class of sixth graders each year.
“It’s important that this program continues on for years to come and that students have equal opportunities to attend,” she says. “It has become a rite of passage in our community.”
We get the point. You can’t have skiing without snow. Read about how our custom skis help fight climate change.
