Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP), an early education and family services nonprofit, has initiated a Plant the Future buy-a-brick drive to raise the final $100,000 needed to complete its $750,000 capital campaign.
The initiative will fund four custom outdoor classrooms, one for each grade level, at CCP’s 8th Street campus, providing local preschoolers with a nature-inspired environment optimized for hands-on problem-solving, teamwork, and active learning, organizers said.
Through the campaign, community members and local businesses can buy engraved bricks featuring personal messages, names or logos.
The commemorative markers will be permanently installed in CCP’s new entryway Gratitude Garden to honor donors who help the organization reach its funding milestone.
Two of the four planned classrooms already have been built and are currently in use, funded by early project supporters.
The remaining funds will allow CCP to transform the final two classroom designs into creative spaces for children aged 18 months to 5 years.
“As parents and educators, we know that young children are better engaged and more enthusiastic when they are in an outdoor setting and learning through hands-on activities,” said Teresa Alvarez, executive director of CCP.
“Our intention is to maximize this dynamic with outdoor classrooms to fill students’ days with playful learning,” she said.
Designed in collaboration with Nature Explore, a national firm specializing in outdoor learning environments, the custom spaces incorporate elements such as raised garden beds, musical installations like marimbas and drums, water features, woodland huts, and a track for scooters and tricycles.
The project builds upon CCP’s longstanding partnership with the Wilderness Youth Project.
Research indicates that outdoor classrooms foster academic, physical, and social development by easing stress, enhancing focus, encouraging physical exercise, and promoting confidence and creativity through cooperative and open-ended play, organizers said.
“Our two completed outdoor classrooms buzz with laughter, energy, and learning, just as we imagined,” said Ari Rodriguez, CCP development director.
“Now we are focused on reaching our fundraising goal, completing the final two classrooms, and bringing vibrant outdoor education to every child at CCP,” Rodriguez said.
“Our students are wiggly little sponges,” said Guadalupe Perez, CCP director of early learning. “When they’re outside, they’re moving, they’re brimming with excitement, and our staff is trained to incorporate age-appropriate lessons to inspire imagination and curiosity.
“Children learn better outside, especially when given structured activities and the freedom to experiment.”
Following are ways to participate:
Donors can select from three brick options:
• Plant a Seed (4 inches-by-8 inches): $500
• Put Down Roots (8 inches-by-8 inches): $1,000
• Grow a Legacy (12 inches-by-12 inches): $2,500 (allows longer messages, quotes and logos)
To order a brick or learn more about supporting the campaign, visit carpchildren.org/plant-the-future.
Carpinteria Children’s Project is a 501(c)(3) early education and family services nonprofit is dedicated to fostering young children’s academic, social, and emotional development through high-quality preschool programs and comprehensive family support resources.