Outdoor Education Center

The Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center offers a range of experiential environmental education programs, designed to foster a feeling of connection and stewardship toward the natural world.
	Each year, the Center provides residential and off-site programs for over 3,000 elementary and secondary school children, as well as academic internships for undergraduate and graduate collegiate naturalists.

The goal of the Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center is to plant the seeds of a lifelong interest in our environment and a lasting concern for its well-being.

Programs

For College Students and Adults:

Naturalist Internship Program

The Outdoor Education Center, in conjunction with Antioch University, offers internships in environmental education for students with at least one year of college.  Receive graduate or undergraduate credit as you facilitate exploration, discovery, and learning for elementary children in the 1,000-acre outdoor classroom of Glen Helen.  

For Children and Schools:

Residential Schoolcamp Program

The Schoolcamp program is a residential camp experience designed for elementary classes, grades 4-6.  Students observe, explore, and discover in our 1,000-acre outdoor classroom, as Naturalist-teachers facilitate learning through ecological studies, games, and activities.   The Schoolcamp curriculum supports teachers by complementing classroom instruction (the curriculum is aligned with Ohio Academic Content Standards).  The focus of the Schoolcamp curriculum is primarily life and physical sciences, but there are also lessons of Social Studies and Language Arts incorporated into the program.  In addition to encouraging environmental values, the Schoolcamp program helps students develop positive self-concepts and peer relationships that transfer back to the classroom.

Ecocamp Summer Program

Ecocamp is a residential summer camp experience for children ages 5-15.  Camps have an environmental emphasis, which allows for fun and learning!  Kids spend most of their time exploring and discovering in the 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve.  A variety of camp themes are offered.  Kids can explore the nocturnal world during Night Camp, can use nature to make art during Ecoart, or can explore rivers and look for fossils during Aqua Explorers.  

Extension Programs

A Glen Helen Naturalist will bring the Glen to you!  Extension programs cater to classroom and group settings for children in grades 3-6.    Programs involve hands-on activities, can be designed for specific ability levels, and can be offered as part of a curricular unit or as a single event. 

Trailside Programs

Naturalist-guided walks through Glen Helen may be scheduled for classrooms and other small groups of children (maximum 25).  A variety of program selections are offered, or unique programs can be created for your group.  Each walk begins at Trailside Museum, a small nature museum at the entrance of the preserve.  Please click here to learn more about Trailside Programs for kids.

Outdoor Education Center Resources

Raptor Center

Started in 1970 out of deep concern for the plight of native birds of prey, the Raptor Center provides raptor rehabilition and educational programming. 

Weekend Rentals
The facilities at the Outdoor Education Center are available for weekend rental. We offer year-round sleeping accommodations, a full service kitchen, and/or a large dining room and lodge. Organizations have used the facilities for weekend business retreats, family reunions, church and school retreats, and weekend workshops.