Environmental Living and Learning for Maine Students (ELLMS)
Who we are: Environmental Living and Learning for Maine Students (ELLMS) is a collaboration of residential environmental learning centers(Chewonki, The Ecology School, Schoodic Institute and UMaine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Bryant Pond and Tanglewood) working together with Maine schools and other partners to facilitate learning opportunities that empower students to create healthy, vibrant Maine communities.
Mission: Environmental Living and Learning for Maine Students (ELLMS) collaborates to promote best-in-class residential environmental learning in Maine for all students, create model community-based education partnerships, and contribute to statewide initiatives.
Vision: In twenty years there is a network of Residential Environmental Learning Centers that give all students in Maine access to wholistic environmental learning and facilitate community-based education innovation.
Our shared education model:
- Use systems thinking, ecology, and sustainability integrated into our program models
- Provide three-day or longer residential environmental learning programs
- Couple outdoor and in-school experiences over multiple years
- Foster teacher-driven professional development through ongoing collaboration
- Have a robust social-emotional curriculum
- Have a foundation in strong science and community-based/civics curriculum
