Jared and Ivy are Social Innovation Fellows who have created Moving Mountains, an organization that uses outdoor education to empower urban youth to achieve academically, embrace civic engagement, and practice lifelong environmental stewardship.

After months of hard work preparing for our summer camp pilot program, nothing is more gratifying and affirming than hearing from a camper herself how outdoor education has impacted her life. From working with students like Lexus, we have confirmed our belief that urban youth do not spend enough time in the outdoors; due to this lack of engagement with nature, there is a lack of environmental awareness. Moving Mountains seeks to reconnect high school students with the great outdoors to promote leadership development and foster a sense of environmental stewardship. Lexus’s passion for the environment is infectious and we hope her awareness and appreciation spreads as she shares what she had learned with her family, friends, school, and community. Lexus’s leadership potential reaffirms our passion and commitment to this type of work. It’s easy to love what you do with such inspiring students!