This winter, we are partnering with several community organizations to offer snowshoeing to Wenatchee Valley school children.
Our STEM Services Manager Heather Inczauskis is helping to lead SnowSchool programs at Squilchuck State Park. After getting on snowshoes (provided by NCRL)
and warming up their legs, the kids learn about snow, mountains and rivers and how watersheds work. Then they walk up to the campground and circle
back to the lodge, stopping along the way for fun and educational activities. The kids dig a hole all the way to the ground (that’s pretty deep, with
all the snow we’ve gotten this winter!), measure snow depth and take temperature readings.
They also play a predator-prey game, where the kids hike and Heather tries to find them in the snow. The goal is to blend in so they don’t get “eaten”
by prey.
“We are introducing kids to resources that the library can offer — not just snowshoes but knowledge (science, wilderness skills, etc.),” Inczauskis
said. “Many of the kids we take out have never been snowshoed before. They have also not visited a lot of the great outdoor places that are so close
to them. We give them the opportunity to see some of the things their community has to offer. I believe being outside in nature, learning and connecting
with one another really strengthens our communities.”
We are partnering with Wenatchee and Eastmont schools, as well as the WSU 4-H extension, Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort, and Cascadia Conservation
District for the program.
“So many community partnerships come out of events like this,” she said.
In the future, we hope to offer more snowshoeing opportunities for our patrons.
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