The Outdoor School at Camp Rancho Alegre will be back in operation for the 2024-25 school year. To celebrate the comeback, a grand reopening event will take place 10 a.m.-noon at the school site, 2680 Highway 154, Santa Barbara.

In July 2017, the Whittier Fire ravaged Camp Rancho Alegre in 45 minutes, said the Los Padres Council. The blaze dealt a devastating blow to the organization and profoundly impacted the landscape of outdoor education within Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.

“While dealing with the aftermath of the destruction of the 2017 fire has a been a challenge, it also created an opportunity to dream big for our kids,” said Carlos Cortez, executive director of Los Padres Council and The Outdoor School.

The new Outdoor School campus on the 215-acre Camp Rancho Alegre can house more than 150 campers per week with a projection of serving 5,000 campers next school year. For more, visit https://theoutdoorschool.org/.

“Thanks to local community leaders, supporters, construction crews, our dream is coming to reality. We look forward to affording all of our local youth an impactful outdoor experience for the next century,” Cortez said.

For more than half a century, Los Padres Council has worked to empower young minds with essential life skills, fostering appreciation for nature, and promoting values that align with the principles of Scouting America.

The Outdoor School at Camp Rancho Alegre has been a cornerstone of these efforts, the council said.

Outdoor School offers opportunities for local students and teachers to engage in hands-on, experiential learning, and has served as a source of inspiration, personal growth, and community enrichment for 500,000 elementary school students.

This spring fifth- and sixth-grade campers from 11 local elementary schools attended the soft opening of The Outdoor School.

“It is so exciting to be back as The Outdoor School director, and welcome back local schools allowing us to continue providing valuable, enriching experiences for students and teachers alike,” said Amanda Chick.

The Outdoor School’s mission is to inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about dynamic and diverse environments by providing direct experiences with nature. During their studies, students learn teamwork and leadership skills and gain firsthand knowledge of their role and responsibility in protecting our environment through experiential learning.

Scouting America, Los Padres Council serves youth ages 5-20 in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.