cityWILD.org | cityWILD Adventures

January 27, 2012

Duckie on the Arkansas River

White water rafting and duckies are also used by cityWILD to develop such things as risk management and teamwork in students. In 2010-2011, 76% of students thought more carefully about their risky actions than prior to cityWILD.

Duckie on the Arkansas River Duckie on the Arkansas River

Rock Climbing at Lookout Mountain

cityWILD uses outdoor activities as its median for youth and leadership development. In 2010-2011, 70% of cityWILD students increased their leadership inventory according to end of school year testing.

Rock Climbing at Lookout Mountain Rock Climbing at Lookout Mountain

Cooking Class

While on Summer Expeditions and Weekend Adventures, cityWILD students take care of their own campsite/community, including cooking duties. In 2010-2011, 79% of students felt they could make a difference in their community (post-test), up from 54%.

Cooking Class Cooking Class

Homework Help

Homework help is an integral part of cityWILD's program. In 2010-2011, 100% of cityWILD students stayed in school while 81% maintained and increased their grades.

Homework Help Homework Help

cityWILD Mission & History

cityWILD is a bold effort to bring the typically exclusive world of outdoor experiential education to a broad non-traditional audience: low-income youth of color. For the past ten years, cityWILD has been providing tuition-free, comprehensive experiential education programs for urban youth (10-18 years old) in northeast Denver. Its mission is to provide low income, culturally diverse youth with outdoor and environmental service learning opportunities that promote developmental themes of personal empowerment, leadership and community participation.

cityWILD was founded in 1997 and the first outdoor pilot trip was launched in 1998. Over the next year of all volunteered time, cityWILD founders wrote curricula, developed community connections, and secured funding to more formally launch in September 1999. Since then, cityWILD has expanded its programs and services to meet increased demand in the community. cityWILD’s model encourages students to make healthy life decisions, allowing them to become role models and leaders in the community. cityWILD empowers youth to resist the negative influences of their community environment and potential challenges of their homes. Intensive programs (students spend 1-4 afternoons per week throughout the school year) are combined with dedicated staff and carefully coordinated support services, resulting in a positive influence on students’ school, work, and family experiences.