Mission
Our mission is to deliver innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship.
Ruling year
2007
CEO
Mr. Eaton Dunkelberger
Main address
190 E Liberty St
Reno, NV 89501 USA
EIN
01-0881587
NTEE code
Educational Services and Schools - Other (B90)
Youth Development Programs (O50)
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs (C60)
IRS filing requirement
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Classrooms Unleashed
Classrooms Unleashed is a comprehensive STEM program that includes in-class lessons taught by Sierra Nevada Journeys educators, an outdoor science field study at a local nature site and extension lessons for teachers for before and after our program.
Each lesson fosters students’ interest in science through hands-on activities as they explore grade-level specific topics spanning from local watersheds and earth sciences, forestry, weathering and erosion, and energy resources. Lesson plans were created using a comprehensive rubric for culturally responsive curriculum, with considerations for accessibility, differentiation, opportunities for student voice, and more. The curriculum is aligned to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Professional Development
Sierra Nevada Journeys (SNJ) provides professional development opportunities for educators in the form of engaging and informational workshops and conferences. Graduate credits and Nevada Department of Education renewal credits are included with some conferences and workshops.
SNJ workshop topics include renewable energy, Project Learning Tree, conservation, and watershed science. Workshops also teach educators how to use science as a window to instruct multiple subject areas, such as math and literacy.
Overnight Outdoor Learning
Sierra Nevada Journeys' (SNJ) residential programming provides an overnight, multiple-day program, primarily for 5th-6th grade students at SNJ's outdoor school campus in Portola, California. Residential programming includes outdoor learning, leadership building and team development, and reinforces the hands-on science and environmental education that students have already experienced in their classrooms.
At this mult-day program, students learn about how their actions influence their environment. Students also participate in a variety of lessons that include pond ecology, astronomy, forest ecology, high ropes course initiatives, and much more.
Family STEM Nights
Family STEM Nights are after-school events centered on family engagement and hands-on science stations, complete with an engineering design challenge. Designed to enhance student learning, they provide students with the inspiration to imagine themselves in STEM careers.
Family STEM Nights occur in a school’s common area, like a cafeteria or gymnasium. Families begin by traveling station to station, participating in science and math challenges, each highlighting a STEM principle like magnetism, surface tensions, air quality, our local watershed, natural selection and building. Each activity provides a Career Connection to complement the activity, and shows a unique avenue to connect students with tangible, real world jobs beyond their immediate environment. The night culminates in a main design contest where each family team receives materials and works to solve a challenge.
Summer Camp
Sierra Nevada Journeys turns summer camp into a powerful, enriching experience as campers are immersed into outdoor science learning, teamwork, and leadership, promoting achievement well past the campfire.
Sierra Nevada Journeys offers unique programming delivered by caring, well-qualified instructors at Grizzly Creek Ranch in Portola, CA. Our camp philosophy is to provide a safe community where our campers are encouraged to reach their highest level of personal achievement through education, fun, and adventure.
Where we work
Awards
100% Board Giving 2015
Community Foundation of Western Nevada
Certified Wildlife Habitat 2016
National Wildlife Federation
Governor's Points of Light Finalist 2016
Governor's Service Award
Educational Program of the Year 2017
Golden Pinecone Sustainability Awards
Affiliations & memberships
American Camp Association - Member 2016
American Camp Association (ACA) - Member 2019
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Today's students are tomorrow's innovators. As we enter an economy that is increasingly reliant on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) training, the need for quality science education has never been greater.
Sierra Nevada Journeys is working to improve STEM education in Northern California and Nevada - states with rich outdoor learning opportunities but who rank 34th and 44th (respectively) out of 50 for educating students in science.
Sierra Nevada Journeys aims to close the opportunity gap and prepare our children to be career- and college-ready.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Sierra Nevada Journeys has a four-prong approach to achieving increased scientific literacy in our target populations:
1. Outdoor science field study with classroom education (1st-6th grade)
2. Outdoor capstone learning program at the Grizzly Creek Ranch Campus (5th-6th grade)
3. Teacher professional development
4. Family Science/STEM nights
These four programs work synergistically to comprise our Whole School Model. By creating an encompassing program with multiple points of contact and parent engagement, we create a sustainable learning environment that results in an 88-92 percent increase in mastery of science concepts.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a team credentialed teachers or teachers in training that create, maintain, and deliver our programming to children across Northern California and Nevada. Sierra Nevada Journeys is truly a partner in education; we work directly with schools to deliver Sierra Nevada Journeys programming as an integrated part of the educational experience.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since 2006, Sierra Nevada Journeys has served over 150,000 students and over 4,500 teachers across Nevada and California.
Sierra Nevada Journeys has strong pre- and post-assessments, measuring student learning outcomes by determining increases in participants’ knowledge of state science standards. Through all our programs, 90% of students demonstrate improved understanding of science standards based on these pre- and post-tests. Students’ knowledge gain, on average, was 40% higher on their post-assessment scores. Additionally, in 2018 we partnered with the University of Nevada Reno Center for Program Evaluation to compare standardized test scores of schools with Sierra Nevada Journeys programs to schools without. We found that 5% more students at schools where Sierra Nevada Journeys programs are delivered, score at the proficient level or higher on state science exams
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Sierra Nevada Journeys
Board of directorsas of 02/08/2022
Dan Klaich
Chancellor, Nevada System of Higher Education (Ret.)
Term: 2017 -
Bob Petersen
California Board of Accountancy, Ret.
David Gordon
Sacramento County Office of Education
Carol Whiteside
Former Mayor of Modesto, Calif., President of Great Valley Center, Ret.
Mark Burrell
WestMark Group
Gail Pfrommer
University of Nevada, Reno, Ret.
Shane Tucker
Food Bank Farmers
Greg Bortolin
Nevada Department of Education
Dan Klaich
Chancellor of Nevada System of Higher Education, Ret.
Regina Stanback Stroud
Skyline College
Bowen Cardoza
CoSol Commercial Real Estate
Mariluz Garcia
Director, Dean's Future Scholars; University of Nevada, Reno
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
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