Connect with us

Technology

Outdoor Education Helps Students Build Confidence, Connection, and Curiosity Beyond the Classroom

Published

4 months ago

on

More than 11,500 students, teachers, and chaperones participated in WOLF School’s outdoor education programs in 2025, highlighting the growing demand for hands-on learning in nature.

APTOS, Calif., June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Across California and beyond, teachers, parents, and school leaders are increasingly recognizing what outdoor educators have long known: when students spend meaningful time learning in nature, they thrive.

Web of Life Field School (WOLF School), a California outdoor science school that has connected thousands of K–12 students with the natural world since 1989, is encouraging schools and families to consider outdoor education programs and nature-based summer camps as powerful opportunities for young people to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

In 2025 alone, WOLF School served more than 11,500 students, teachers, and chaperones from 178 public and private schools through its outdoor science, environmental education, and marine conservation programs. Operating four year-round Northern California campuses and four distinct summer camp programs, WOLF School continues to expand opportunities for young people to learn through direct experience in the natural world.

Whether exploring a redwood forest, investigating local tidepool ecosystems, or working together to solve challenges, students in outdoor education programs gain more than scientific knowledge—they build confidence, curiosity, resilience, and a stronger sense of connection to each other and the world around them.

“At WOLF School, we see young people at their best,” said Desiree Gant, WOLF Associate Director. “When students have the opportunity to learn outdoors, they become engaged, curious, collaborative, and confident. Nature creates space for discovery—not only of science concepts, but of their own strengths and potential.”

Why Outdoor Education Matters

Outdoor environmental education offers students experiences that complement and enhance traditional classroom learning through:

Hands-on, inquiry-based science learningMeaningful opportunities for teamwork and collaborationConfidence-building challenges in supportive environmentsStronger connections to nature, community, and selfExperiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving

Research and educator observations consistently show that experiential learning in natural settings helps students deepen their understanding of academic concepts while developing valuable life skills that support success both in and out of the classroom.

As schools continue to prioritize student engagement, social-emotional learning, and hands-on science education, outdoor learning experiences are becoming an increasingly valuable complement to classroom instruction.

Learning That Stays With Students

At WOLF School, students participate in immersive, standards-based science programs led by trained naturalist teachers. Through field investigations, environmental stewardship activities, and shared community experiences, students develop a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of life and their role within it.

The impact is reflected in the experiences of participating students and educators. Teachers frequently report that after their students attend outdoor education experiences, they:

Increased student engagementStronger classroom communitiesRenewed enthusiasm for learning

One attending teacher shared, “Students gained confidence in their own nature skills and brought that with them back to our school community. They learned and appreciated nature and had a great time!”

Students often describe their time at science camp as one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences of their school years, while adult participants consistently praise the quality of instruction and mentorship. As one chaperone noted, “We were amazed by the energy and enthusiasm of the naturalists!”

“Outdoor education gives students a chance to see themselves in a new light,” said Gant. “They discover that they can lead, contribute, solve problems, and make meaningful connections with others. Those lessons stay with them long after camp ends.”

Opportunities for Schools and Youth Groups

Outdoor education programs like WOLF School serve:

Schools seeking engaging, standards-based science learning experiencesYouth organizations and retreat groups looking for impactful group programsFamilies interested in enriching nature and science-based summer camp experiences

Programs are designed to be accessible and adaptable for a wide range of ages, abilities, and learning styles, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn, explore, and succeed.

Now Booking for the 2026–2027 School Year

With limited space available across multiple Northern California camp locations, teachers and administrators are encouraged to explore program options early. Reservations are often made up to a year in advance.

To learn more or reserve a program, visit www.wolfschool.org.

About WOLF School

WOLF School is an outdoor environmental education organization offering immersive, standards-based science programs for K–12 students and nature-based recreational summer camps at four Northern California campuses. Through hands-on learning in natural environments, WOLF School inspires curiosity, builds confidence, strengthens relationships, and fosters lifelong connections to the natural world.

Contact: Heather Butler, Director of WOLF School, 831-431-0669, hbutler@wolfschool.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outdoor-education-helps-students-build-confidence-connection-and-curiosity-beyond-the-classroom-302809460.html

SOURCE WOLF School

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

Lubbock Plastic Surgeon Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Leads Suturing Workshop for Texas Tech Women in STEM Premed Students

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Suturing workshop

LUBBOCK, Texas, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Thanapoom “Mo” Boonipat, plastic surgeon and founder of FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute in Lubbock, led a hands-on suturing workshop and career Q&A session for premed students at Texas Tech University. The event was organized by Women in STEM at Texas Tech University.

During the workshop, students practiced suturing fundamentals on suture pads using surgical instruments, with Dr. Boonipat demonstrating technique and coaching students individually. The session also included an open discussion about the path to a career in medicine, including medical school, residency training, and choosing a surgical specialty.

“Every surgeon remembers the first time they held a needle driver. Giving premed students that experience early — along with honest answers about the road ahead — can make the path into medicine feel real and reachable. I was glad to spend the afternoon with such motivated students.” — Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat

“Organizations like Women in STEM do important work connecting young women with mentors and hands-on experience in fields where they are still underrepresented, including surgery. FacePlus is proud to support that effort here in our own community in Lubbock.” — Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat

Women in STEM is a Texas Tech University student organization that supports women pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Events like this connect students with practicing professionals and give them early, practical exposure to clinical skills.

Dr. Boonipat is a plastic and craniofacial surgeon. His training includes an integrated plastic surgery residency at Mayo Clinic and a craniofacial, maxillofacial, and facial aesthetics fellowship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, following medical school at Dartmouth and undergraduate study in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins. He founded FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute in Lubbock in 2024.

About FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute:
FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute is a plastic surgery practice in Lubbock, Texas, founded by Thanapoom Boonipat, MD. The practice provides cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, including facial, breast, and body procedures, serving patients in Lubbock and across West Texas. For more information, visit facepluspsi.com.

Media Contact:
FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute
moboonipatmd@facepluspsi.com
(806) 503-2090
Lubbock, Texas

Press Release Service provided by 24-7PressRelease.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lubbock-plastic-surgeon-dr-thanapoom-boonipat-leads-suturing-workshop-for-texas-tech-women-in-stem-premed-students-302918808.html

SOURCE FacePlus Plastic Surgery Institute

Continue Reading

Technology

Vantrue Announces Early Black Friday Sale with Up to 44% Off Select Dash Cams

Published

7 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

November 1–21, 2026 | Official Website: Vantrue.com

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vantrue, a dash cam brand dedicated to helping drivers capture the road with confidence, is launching its three-week Black Friday campaign from November 1 to November 21, 2026. The event brings together discounts of up to 44% on selected dash cams, a 100% win-rate prize wheel for subscribers, and exclusive bidding events, giving drivers multiple ways to discover and save on Vantrue products.

Every Eligible Spin Wins a Prize

The Black Friday excitement starts with Vantrue’s 100% win-rate spin wheel. Visitors can subscribe through the official website and spin for a chance to receive exciting rewards, including the latest Vantrue dash cams, special prize bundles, and other surprises. Each subscriber is eligible for one spin during the campaign.

Black Friday Deals in Two Waves

Vantrue’s Black Friday offers will roll out in two waves, featuring discounts on selected dash cams for everyday drivers, rideshare professionals, and those looking to upgrade their in-car recording setup.

Wave 1: November 1–10, 2026

Vantrue E1 Lite: 36% off — $69.99 (regular price: $109.99)
 Vantrue N2X: 36% off — $159.99 (regular price: $249.99)
 Vantrue N4S: 44% off — $199.99 (regular price: $359.99)
 

Wave 2: November 11–21, 2026

Vantrue E1 Pro S: 35% off — $129.99 (regular price: $199.99)
 Vantrue N5S: 36% off — $293.99 (regular price: $459.99)
 Vantrue N4 Pro S: 40% off — $279.99 (regular price: $469.99)
 

Exclusive Bidding Events Add More Excitement

In addition to the promotional pricing, Vantrue will host two special bidding events, offering participants another way to pursue selected dash cams at competitive prices.

BID #1: November 5–7, 2026 — Bid on featured products for a chance to secure them at a lower price.BID #2: November 12–14, 2026 — Return for another opportunity to bid on premium models.

With multiple ways to participate throughout the three-week event, Vantrue’s Black Friday campaign combines savings, interactive rewards, and special shopping opportunities in one destination.

Join Vantrue’s Black Friday Event

From November 1 through November 21, 2026, drivers can explore the latest offers, take part in the prize wheel, and join the bidding events through Vantrue’s official website.

Visit https://www.vantrue.com/ for campaign details and product offers.

About Vantrue

Founded in 2015, Vantrue is a leading global dash cam brand dedicated to providing intelligent, reliable, and user-centric driving solutions. With a focus on innovative technology, dependable performance, and user-friendly design, Vantrue develops dash cams for everyday drivers, families, and professionals on the road. Committed to helping drivers capture every journey with greater confidence and peace of mind, Vantrue continues to innovate to make every drive safer and every moment worth capturing.

Media Contact
Vantrue Media Relations
Email: support@vantrue.net
Website: https://www.vantrue.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vantrue-announces-early-black-friday-sale-with-up-to-44-off-select-dash-cams-302918196.html

SOURCE Vantrue

Continue Reading

Technology

LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions Introduces Field Clarity for LexisNexis® Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS) at IACP 2026

Published

10 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

A new, modern DORS and Field Clarity, the First AI-Guided Smartphone Video Assistant, Enhances Community Experience and Helps Improve Evidence, Case Building

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LexisNexis® Coplogic™ Solutions today announced its modernized LexisNexis® Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS) community online reporting solution and the addition of DORS with Field Clarity, an AI-guided video assistant designed to improve field documentation accuracy and enable faster resolution by law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Field Clarity is designed to help community members submit reports to their local LEAs using DORS via intuitive step-by-step instructions. A hands-on experience for DORS with Field Clarity will be available for demonstration during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference.

“Agencies generally look to strategic partners like us not just for technology, but also for relief, reinforcement, and credibility across three tightly connected challenges: public expectation, workforce strain and digital evidence overload,” said Jason LaRue, associate vice president, LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions. “Our modernized LexisNexis Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS) helps agencies improve officer safety along with community member experiences. Field Clarity strengthens video evidence quality and digital evidence management to reduce friction and alleviate strain on a challenged workforce.”

Key Highlights
Integrated into LexisNexis® Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS), Field Clarity is the first AI-Guided video assistant for community member online reporting that:

Transforms data capture from passive intake into intelligent, guided capture to help create more positive officer and civilian mobile-first experiencesDrives more accurate field documentation, evidence and case building to help with faster resolution and enhanced public safetyBenefits civilians submitting reports with intuitive, step-by-step instructions, almost like having a digital assistant with them in real timeBenefits officers by bringing video, photos and scanned data together for a clearer picture of an event without the need to track down additional details

How the DORS with Field Clarity Solution Works
DORS allows each law enforcement agency to collect information directly from civilians on more than 200 incident types based on the needs of their community. DORS and Field Clarity make the filing of an online report experience easier by guiding users intuitively through each step of the process on their smartphone device, similar to having a personal digital assistant. Instead of asking a driver, for example, to fill out forms and guess what’s needed, the Field Clarity conversational interface prompts them to scan their driver’s license, capture a VIN or record a short walkaround video explaining what happened during the incident, all while capturing the data necessary to complete the report.

For civilians, being able to easily film on-scene evidence means less confusion and need for reentries or follow-up by the sworn officer responsible for approving reports. For officers, the benefits include cleaner, more complete accident reports and less time spent requesting and gathering additional details. With reports fed directly into the agency’s Record Management System (RMS), law enforcement also benefits from more efficient workflows and stronger documented cases for their investigators. DORS is used by nearly 600 agencies in North America, saving agencies approximately 900,000 personnel hours and $90 million annually*

“Trust in law enforcement is built one interaction at a time. Every opportunity for a community member to engage with their police department matters, including something as routine as filing a report,” said Sarah E. Connolly, co-founder of Guardian Communications, FBI-LEEDA instructor and retired Baltimore Police lieutenant and PIO. “When technology makes that process easier, improves the quality of information collected and supports a more responsive agency, it has the potential to do more than improve efficiency. It can help strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions delivers solutions and capabilities that can create a clearer line of sight from the field to law enforcement leadership, strengthening the connection between daily operations, workforce support, data management and community trust. DORS with Field Clarity is available through LexisNexis® Command Center, a single access point to the LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions data and analytics solutions suite, including LexisNexis®  BuyCrash®, LexisNexis® eCrash and LexisNexis® eCitation solutions. Coplogic Solutions also offers Unified Performance Dashboards for crash and citation mapping and illustrated visualizations, which connect field data with contextual insight in a single, coherent view – so law enforcement leaders can better understand and more confidently explain to their communities not just what is happening in near-real time, but also why. 

To speak with Coplogic law enforcement experts about LexisNexis Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS) with Field Clarity and experience the solution firsthand, visit LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions at IACP Booth #941, October 24 – 27, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. To learn more, check out this video: LexisNexis® Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS).

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions provides customers with information-based analytics and decision tools that combine public and industry-specific content with advanced technology and algorithms to assist them in evaluating and predicting risk and enhancing operational efficiency. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, the company has offices throughout the world, serves customers in more than 190 countries and territories and is part of RELX. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions.

About LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions
LexisNexis® Coplogic™ Solutions is committed to meeting law enforcement agencies where they are on the road to saving more lives and helping take them where they want to be by delivering an innovative full suite of data sophistication solutions to create workflow efficiencies while delivering world-class crash and citation data and analytics visualizations through advanced technology. Our proven solutions, developed by and specifically for law enforcement, can help agencies operate more effectively, increase services to their communities and improve traffic and overall public safety through electronic, mobile-first authoring capabilities, web-based eCommerce solutions, analytics and more. For more information, please visit risk.lexisnexis.com/Coplogic.

Media Contacts: 
Chaz Abbott
LexisNexis Risk Solutions
chaz.abbott@lexisnexisrisk.com
+1 949.922.1167

*Based on a 2025 LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions internal study

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lexisnexis-coplogic-solutions-introduces-field-clarity-for-lexisnexis-desk-officer-reporting-system-dors-at-iacp-2026-302918694.html

SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Continue Reading

Trending