A STEAM Filled Summer!
Our successful Science Carnival
Thank you to everyone from our Chicago community who came to the inaugural GGO Science Carnival! With composting worms, wind turbine building, drone coding, and much more, it was a day of nonstop STEAM fun for our students!
Virtual adventures galore
We were thrilled to offer a virtual version of our Turtle Tracking Field Trip to nine classes across four St. Louis Public Schools! Presented in partnership with the St. Louis Zoo Box Turtle Project, students provided input and made data calculations while St. Louis Zoo Education Liaison Keri Lammering used telemetry equipment to find two turtles. Participants also recorded data using a field guide provided by the St. Louis University Ecology Club, which has led in-person versions of this field trip for GGO students.
GGO supports new environmental education research article
“After the environmental education (EE) intervention, Photovoice participants experienced greater improvements in STEM-capacity scores than those who participated in the EE intervention without the Photovoice activity”

Check out the latest peer-reviewed scientific article proving that the GGO curriculum promotes STEAM learning and environmental awareness. Check out this article authored by Nadav Sprague (CEO and Founder), Zoe Kaufman (VISTA leader), Dr. Christine Ekenga (board member), and Uzoma Okere (researcher at Washington University in St. Louis Med School). Also check out Columbia University’s blog post on this research project.
Click below to find out about our St. Louis fundraiser, the BRAIN TEASER BASH in Tower Grove Park. Race through the park solving riddles and puzzles, then join us at the stone shelter for post-fundraising fun!
Volunteer highlight
Today we are shouting out one of our marvelous volunteers, Sophie Luard! Sophie studies Public Policy and English at University of Chicago and began volunteering with Gateway to the Great Outdoors this past year. Her work includes packing Go & Grow kits, leading virtual lessons, and helping students design a pollinator garden for Washington Park! She decided to be part of GGO because “everybody deserves to spend time getting to know the natural world outside their door.” When she is not volunteering with GGO, Sophie likes to go for runs and swim in the ocean! Thanks Sophie!
Thank you for your continued support for GGO!