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One such collaboration brought
together the Forest Preserves of Cook
County and Chicago’s Mary Crane Head
Start, an early childhood development
center. Bob Bryant, director of education
at Mary Crane, says the partnership
completely shifted the focus of the child
development services the center offers.
Now, most outings are connected to
exploration of the natural world.
“We are seeing results—enhanced
critical thinking skills and social emotional
learning gains,” he says. “It’s amazing.
Right here in urban Chicago, we have
preschoolers who really appreciate that they
are natural beings who are an integral part
of a natural world.”
NatureStart TM Professional
Development Network
Goes National
NatureStartTM Network participants over-
whelmingly say the connections to one
another and the training have transformed
their facilities and programming. The
Network’s impact here in the Chicago area
was so powerful that in 2017, with a gener-
ous grant from the Institute of Museum
and Library Services, we launched the
program’s next wave.
National NatureStartTM Professional Marilyn Brink giving an opening presentation at the
Development builds on lessons learned, NatureStartTM Network Symposium in 2016.
and scales them for national impact.
The goals of the program include: Leading the Way
• Developing an advisory council of early
It may seem like NatureStartTM has
childhood and informal education expanded quickly—this is due to the
professionals to provide guidance dedicated team behind the program,
and leadership. particularly its leader. Most of the
• Establishing training sites and regional outreach, network-building, training
training teams here at Brookfield Zoo; development and delivery, materials
in Dallas, Texas; the Bronx, New York; and curriculum, communication,
and Greenville, South Carolina so we and trouble-shooting has been led by
may exponentially expand our reach. Marilyn Brink, manager of professional
• Developing a new NatureStartTM development and early childhood
training model that blends online NatureStartTM programs. “Marilyn is
content with face-to-face sessions, indomitable, a mover and shaker, an
making it easier for more individuals innovator and relationship-builder with
both verve and meticulous attention to
to participate. detail,” says Dave Becker, the Society's
Jenni Kinch senior manager of learning experiences.
Garcia, education Asked about the future of this game-
program coordinator changing program, Brink says that while
at Greenville Zoo, expanding the program even further
first participated in would be amazing, at the end of the day,
NatureStartTM in everything comes back to the children.
2012. It was an eye- “Again and again, we’ve witnessed the
opening experience power in providing children access to
and she immediately nature and then inviting them to explore
brought ideas back to and to direct their own learning,” she says.
be incorporated at “We see wonder and amazement unfold.
her zoo. In 2017, she We see critical thinking and sustained
was among the first learning. We observe children caring
to become trained as more about each other and the world
a lead trainer at one around them. It’s an extraordinary gift.”
of the four regional
locations.
“The Chicago Zoological Society has
a stellar reputation in the zoo, aquarium,
and cultural institution community,”
Garcia says. “By participating, our
institution not only is gaining experience
that we can bring to our audiences, we
now are also seen as leaders in our
community. Most importantly, we are
helping to expand the improvement of
early-childhood education and the ways
in which children connect to the
natural world.” █
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