H. E. Butt Foundation Outdoor School partners with Title I school communities to provide transformative and educational overnight experiences each set within the rugged beauty of the Texas Hill Country. Through these experiences, we hope to cultivate wholeness in school communities through deeper connections to each other and to the natural world.
Time in nature is essential for living our best lives. When that time in nature is coupled with engaging recreational activity and community, data shows vast improvements in holistic health.
Educators, health professionals, and parents are beginning to realize that transformative outdoor experiences address issues from obesity to anxiety and depression. In a 2019 article, Outside Magazine claims “Science’s Newest Miracle Drug is Free”. There are almost 500 published studies that link time in nature to better health, and over 1,200 physicians have written time in nature prescriptions in 2019.
At Outdoor School, we hope to affect real change in our students’ lives. The lessons we teach in the Canyon are specifically designed to give students, their schools, and their communities the tools they need.
By participating in hands-on, highly active activities, we hope students can take what they learn about the outdoors as well as themselves and apply it to their life back home.
We hope that the awe of nature inspires students to recognize their impact and fulfill their roles as caretakers of their natural spaces through close encounters with our rivers, landscape, and wildlife.
Social and emotional learning is an essential aspect of what we do with students. By braving new and potentially intimidating activities and practicing healthy decision-making, we hope students gain assurance in who they are and what they are capable of.
Away from the social stresses associated with technology and the business of everyday life, we hope students connect on a unique level and support each other through the vulnerability of trying new things.
In 1954, the H. E. Butt Foundation acquired 1,900 acres north of Leakey, Texas, to fulfill a long-cherished dream of Howard Butt, Sr., to provide a place where boys and girls could further their knowledge of creation while enjoying the freedom of camp life that had so appealed to him during his youth. For this property, Mary Holdsworth Butt wrote these hopes:
“To open new fields of interests, hobbies, and recreational skills through study, work play and fun in the out- of- doors."
“To develop resourcefulness, self-reliance, initiative, and creativeness through basic experiences."
“To promote good health practices through wholesome environment, supervision, group action, and motivation.”
Today, H. E. Butt Foundation Outdoor School partners with 20+ qualifying Title I schools per year with the hope of continuing the Butt’s vision.
Director of Community Camping Programs
Kim grew up in the piney woods of East Texas, calling Crockett and surrounding areas home. She graduated from East Texas Baptist University with a degree in Speech Communication, married her husband Andrew, and moved to Anderson, Texas, in 2009.
Kim worked in outdoor education for Houston ISD until she and her husband welcomed their daughters, Audra (10) and Austen (8). During her time in Houston, Kim started the childcare center at her church while Andrew was the youth pastor and worked construction. Both Kim and her husband are passionate and dedicated to the discipleship of the next generations. They have enjoyed mentoring some of the most amazing teenagers over the years.
Kim and her family are an adventurous group, and they regularly explore the Texas Hill Country.
Assistant Director of Outdoor School
Chris has a B.S. in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M University. He has spent the last half-decade working for various camps and youth programs including Kanakuk, Pine Cove, and Laity Lodge Family and Youth camps. This past year, Chris freelanced as an outdoor education/recreation instructor and facilitator, working for both the Outdoor School and Adventure experiences.
His hobbies include trail running, rock climbing, and paddleboarding. His favorite quote is from Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
Chris shared the following comment, “With the new opportunities presented to the Outdoor School for this coming year, I am more than thrilled to jump in and help develop and implement a new era of Outdoor School programs.”
Assistant Director of Adventure Recreation
Myles and his family have been greatly influenced by the H. E. Butt Foundation programs across multiple generations. His great aunt, grandma, mother, and brother all attended Laity Lodge Youth Camp as children and, further, his aunt, brother, and sister each worked on Youth Camp’s summer staff. As for Myles, he himself went to Youth Camp as a child and his work resume at camp includes positions as Echo Valley Counselor, Program Crew Boss, and Canyon Club Director. He also spent many weekends with Laity Lodge Family Camp as the Activities Director. Each of these positions allowed Myles to gain valuable outdoor activity skills and a talent for working with youth and families.
For Myles, this time spent participating in and working for the camping programs has been instrumental in his development personally and professionally. “The values upheld by these programs are the same values that I uphold now, and I am comforted by the fact that I get to broaden my family’s ties to the H. E. Butt Foundation in my work with the Outdoor School.”
From youth and in college, Myles was an avid baseball player, and his hobbies now include playing and watching sports, various types of fitness, and simply spending time being active outdoors. Myles graduated from UT San Antonio with a degree in Mathematics with the intention of being a schoolteacher. Now he gets to use his knowledge and skills to teach in the outdoor ‘classroom’. Myles brings passion and experience in his Adventure Recreation support of the Outdoor School. He feels “privileged to get to promote outdoor activity in youth for the betterment of school communities”.
Programs and Activity Coordinator for Adventure Recreation
Barrett is a graduate from Texas A&M University, with a degree in Recreation Park & Tourism Sciences.
He has spent over twelve summers out in the Canyon, with seven of those summers working for the LLYC and LLFC programs.
Barrett is incredibly excited to be working for the H. E. Butt Foundation and specifically for the Outdoor School program. He looks forward to showing the beauty of the Canyon to the many school groups that they serve each year.
Outdoor School Associate
Emma grew up in a small West Texas town and attended Angelo State University, where she double-majored in Animal Science and Biology. After graduating in May, Emma began working on her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. Throughout college, she spent time as a vet tech, worked as an IT technician, and interned for her church. She also spent time at a livestock vaccine company, where she worked as a diagnostics lab technician and a virus production assistant. Emma enjoyed every job, but she often tells people that teaching kids outside was her dream job before she even realized it was a job; she’s a huge fan of both science and the outdoors, and she loves that now it’s her job to share that excitement with others!
When she’s not at work or in class, you can usually find Emma on a hike, with a good book, in a kayak (or paddle board), or playing fetch with her dog. She also enjoys volunteer work and loves being active in her church. Emma moved to Kerrville less than a month ago after spending the summer working at Family Camp. She had a great summer, and she says, “I am so excited for the opportunity to officially join the Outdoor School team! I’m still a newbie, so I will happily take any recommendations about the town that you have to offer—food, fun, church, dog-sitter, go-to coffee shop, you name it. I’m incredibly grateful to be here, and I can’t wait to get started!”
The Outdoor School Associate program is a 2 year paid position that focuses on developing a well-rounded knowledge of outdoor education programming, facilitation, and curriculum development. As a part of this program, associates will have the opportunity to explore their interests in outdoor and nature education while pursuing a deeper level of professional development as a stepping stone for their careers.
Know someone who’d be perfect for the job? Click below to learn more and submit your information to get the process started.
The stories featured below are published in the H. E. Butt Foundation's quarterly magazine, Echoes. To read more, click on a story below or visit Echoes online.
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