www. NEXT. cc, Inc.
Empowering Youth as Engaged Participants in Building a Better Future
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?
Workshops
NEXT.cc delivers Family, Student, and Teacher Workshops to schools encouraging digital fluency and eco-literacy with integrated place-based projects supported by E-Learning. Accessing NEXT.cc on mobile devices (phones, ipads, laptops, etc.), NEXT.cc enlivens teaching and learning with transdisciplinary activities and place-based projects. Students become curious to explore their interests and to see how artists, scientists, engineers, designers, and environmentalists learn from the world, interact with the world, and contribute to the world. Design offers ways of looking, learning, and making integrating traditional K12 subjects through design responses to changes in society, culture, economy, technology, the environment, and climate. NEXT.cc participants develop attention, awareness, curiosity, compassion, and collaboration in their early years that empower their voice, and civic participation.
STEAM by Design Energy Hacks
Does STEAM by a design-based approach to teaching complex energy systems result in greater student comprehension and extended engagement with conserving energy and using renewable energy sources than traditional instructional methods?
Green Imagination Workshops
Greening imagination is a systemic process that needs to be nurtured in classes and communities. The best hope for learning to live in more sustainable ways lies in new ways of learning about human ecology and the environment across the curriculum. Experience of the natural world; learning how nature sustains life; nurturing healthy communities; recognizing implications of the ways we feed and provide for ourselves; and knowing well the places where we live, work, learn and play are essential to becoming eco literate. Teachers are in a prime position to connect culture of place with sense of purpose in the work of their students. NEXT.cc introduces journeys, transdisciplinary activities and measures to green existing school curriculum, campuses and communities. NEXT.cc supports teachers and students with age-appropriate learning opportunities based on State and Federal Learning Standards including the National Research Council National Science Education Standards, North American Association for Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence, Common Core State Standards and Federal programs such as No Child Left Behind and No Child Left Inside.
Green Imagination Workshops embed systems thinking in scales of investigation. Participants learn directed, supportive and collaborative inquiry based design strategies for working with diverse audiences. Participants mix physical and digital exploration of the the wonder and workings of the built and natural worlds while creating place based projects.
Green Imagination Workshops are held at diverse institutions of learning- schools, museums, libraries, museums and centers.
Green School Yard Workshops
Our relationship with nature and the big outdoors has changed radically in the last one hundred years. Even more pertinent to the change from the walk to school is bussing. Almost 50% of the K12 population is now bussed to school. Imagine going from the interior of a home to the interior of a bus to the interior of a school with only thirty minutes to eat lunch, socialize and run on an asphalt play yard before returning to school, bus and home. Recess is understood as a place to ‘let off steam’ before returning to learning in a desk in a classroom. In addition, a recent NPR program stated that middle school children spend an average of only 15 minutes a week in unstructured outdoor activity.
Schools in the United States for the most part, provide nature deprived school campuses and curriculum. Most school campuses consist of buildings placed on grass lawns stripped of any native vegetation. Asphalt parking lots and playgrounds with recreational sport fields complete most campuses. Gone are any signs of the prairies or wetlands or forests that existed before the school was established. This school layout is typical across the United States. Richard Louv, author of Last Child Left in the Woods: Nature Deficit Disorder and The Nature Principle starts his books with the quote from a 4 year old, “ Mommy I’d rather play inside where there are more electrical outlets.”
Outdoor environments provide a critical opportunity to address contemporary challenges.
childhood obesity
preoccupation with electronic media
restriction from open-ended outdoor “free” play time
disconnection from nature
The Green School Yard Workshop is a collaboration between garden educators and architects to raise awareness, understanding and application of learning opportunities outside. Outdoor environments provide a critical opportunity to connect with National Environmental Education Standards and ‘leave no child inside’.
experience of living systems
exploration of interdependency
full sensory learning
fresh air
movement
engagement with place
wonder
The Green School Yard Project shares research and best practices from environmentally and place based project learning schools that connect young imaginations on a daily basis with the big outdoors. The Green School Yard Project offers professional development for school boards and teachers in connecting curriculum to outdoor activities. Research has shown that teachers that are actively engaged in choosing curriculum to take place outside or more likely to continue to teach outside on a regular basis. The Green School Yard Project shares research from Sharon Danks, author of Asphalt to Eco Systems; Eric Nelson, Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms, The Outdoor Classroom Project; Sharon G. Solomon, American Playgrounds, Cultivating Community Space; and Roy Diblik, Small Perennial Gardens, Know Maintenance Approach; Richard Louv, The Nature Principle; and Linda Keane, co-founder and director of NEXT.cc, an environmental stewardship place based project curriculum. It offers collaboration between K12 educators, garden educators, environmental designers, landscape architects and architects to raise awareness, understanding and application of learning opportunities outside. The Green School Yard Project initiated a series of national webinars to transform school design with outdoor learning in outdoor places on school grounds.
The Green School Yard Project offers design of + outdoor environments + teacher education and activities + children education and activities + free access to place based project learning. Professional development for teachers introduces changes in 21st century learning, opportunities for engaging diverse learner types, and place based project learning that can move teacher directed teaching to teacher facilitated and student led inquiry.
The Green School Yard Project empowers schools to create outdoor classrooms with multiple activity areas and works with teachers to deliver curriculum outdoors.
NEXT.cc eLEARNING NSTA ENTREPRENEURIALISM GRANT
NEXT.cc, in its 15th year, received a National Science Foundation Grant for Entrepreneurialism. As part of the grant, Board members interviewed over 50 architecture and design firms for their Diversity Equity, and Inclusion policy, and for their Environmental Sustainability Governance. NEXT.cc's research shared a wide variety of donation efforts, internship and diversity scholarship programs, and some volunteer activism. Only about 25% had policies in place; the rest were in process. All AIA firms are working to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. Next is the lack of architecture and design education for youth in K12. Less than 1% of K12 schools offer architecture classes, and only 4 states have Art AND Design Standards. leaving 2/3 of the population who do not attend college without access to built environment education. The third challenge is the lack of outdoor education with most playgrounds being denatured asphalt. NEXT.cc introduces Nature and the Built Environment together.
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS
NEXT.cc delivers Teacher Toolkits for introducing Nature and the Built Environment across K12 Traditional Subjects through place-based project learning connected with creative careers. NEXT.cc has experience working with Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental, Art, Design, and Math iinstructors. Toolkits include free access to the NEXT.cc E Learning Journeys, with standards aligned activities, and assessment and evaluation.
K-12 Curriculum Consulting
NEXT.cc offers Curriculum Consulting to middle and high schools that desire to expand maker spaces across the school campus and across traditional topics. Consulting involves introducing TOOLS<, LANGUAGE< DISCOVER, and DESIGN Journeys with trans-disciplinary activities linked to creative careers. University professors work with elementary, middle, and high school teachers to develop place-based projects that are meaningful to the school community.
Where we work
Awards
AIA State Illinois Nathan Clifford Ricker Award in Education 2019
AIA ILLINOIS
National Creative Achievement Award for NEXT.cc 2018
ACSA NATIONAL
Green STEM Innovation Award 2012
NEEF National Environmental Education Award
National DESIGN MEDIA Award for NEXT.cc 2012
AAO Association of Architecture Organizations
Design Media Education for CHildren 2011
UIA UNION of INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTS
Excellence in Green Building Education 2009
USGBC UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL AWARD
Merit Award for NEXT.cc 2009
AAF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL FOUNDATION AWARD
Urban Engagement Award 2009
SAIC PRESIDENTIAL AWARD
Design Education Award 2008
NEA NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
Merit Award for NEXT.cc 2006
AAF MERICAN ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION AWARD
Green Works Award 2006
City of Chicago
Design Education Award 2005
The Graham Foundation
MNI WICONI : Water Is Life Available City Workshop 2021
Chicago Architecture Biennial
A City Runs Through It 2019
Chicago Architecture Biennial
TEENS H2) w/ Friends of the CHicago RIver 2018
HIVE CHICAGO
Energy eLearning with Scientists for Tomorrow 2016
HIVE CHICAGO
Sustainability Design HAck with CPL YOUMEDIA & CAF 2015
Hive Chicago Mozilla Foundation
Education Award for NEXT.cc 2012
WISCONSIN ARTS BOARD
Faculty Enrichment Grant for NEXT.cc 2007
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago ago
Green Initiaitves: Green Roof Website 2007
CITY OF CHICAGO & SAIC Collaboration
Design Media Education for K12 Design Education 2004
Graham Foundation
Digital Media Grant for AAII CDROM& BOOK 1998
McGraw Hill COmapnies, INc.
Digital MEdia Grant for AAII 1997
Wiley & Son,Inc
Creative Acheivement Award 2018
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
Affiliations & memberships
ACE MENTOR PROGRAM 2012
A+DEN Architecture & Design Educators Network 2008
AAO Association of Architecture Organizations 2011
Careers in STEM 2018
Chicago Burnham 100 Educators Resoruces 2010
Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum 2007
Earth Day Educators' Network 2007
Future Lab's Info Cow 2009
Global Action For Climate CHange 2010
GLobal Green STEM 2018
Harvard Career Link Project 2009
HIVE CHicago 2015
Ingenuity Artlook 2010
Milwaukee Environmental Consortium 2014
RISD's STEM to STEAM 2012
The Connectory 2018
Salvadori Center 2011
Scientists For Tomorrow 2015
STEAMpop Australia 2015
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 2009
University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee 2007
US Green Charter Schools 2009
Union of International Architects' Children's Built Environment Education 2011
WI Green & Healthy School Provider 2016
Wyland Foundation 2011
Milwaukee Water Connectors 2018
WI WATER THINKERS 2018
AIA HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2018
SCHOOL ZONE INSTITUTE ARCHITECTURE and CHILDREN 2019
UNESCO GREENING EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP 2023
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?
We live in a designed world, Nature's and our own. Learning about the environment, both built and natural, is essential every year in K12. The world is changing rapidly and education is charged with changing as well. Students need opportunities to use their imaginations in school, on their school grounds, and in their school communities. NEXT.cc works to provide design opportunities to K12 youth raising awareness of the world around them, increasing appreciation for the gifts nature shares, and developing advocacy for stewarding the health of the planet as linked to human health around the world. NEXT.cc offers student-based inquiry journeys (TOOLS, LANGUAGES, DISCOVERY, DESIGN) to support classroom teachers and students with place-based project learning linked to creative careers. To date, NEXT.cc works with families, elementary, middle, high school, college students, and teachers to activate change right from where they are. NEXT.cc works to extend UNESCO's GREENING EDUCATION Pillars of Greening Schools, Greening Curriculum, Greening Communities, and Greening Compacity. We survey every workshop for the following: 1 What creative Careers did you experience? 2 What will you contribute (to Green Your School? 3 What will you contribute to Green Your Community?
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We offer over 35 different themed workshops including Green Architecture, Green Schools, Green Cities, WATER/FOOD/ENERGY NEXUS. Each workshop offers a handout with activities linked to NEXT.cc Journeys to open curiosity, extend learning beyond the classroom, offer a choice of topics and approaches, and develop critical thinking and collaboration. NEXT.cc offers TOOLS introducing how artists, architects, engineers, environmentalists, ecologists, mathematicians, scientists, and others investigate the world, learn from the world, and contribute to the world. TOOLS develop design thinking through research, writing, speaking, diagramming, communication, visualization, documentation, and iterative fabrication. NEXT invites everyone to be explorers and to see the world by looking closely from wherever they are. LANGUAGE JOurneys offer vocaubularies and sets of ideas that look at taxonomies of relationships inspiring wonder of the built and natural world. DISCOVERY Journeys look at how the economy, culture, climate change, and technology shape sustainable design responses. Discover transdisciplinary interconnected systems thinking between earth, air, water, well-being, and design of the everyday. NEXT.cc offers DESIGN opportunities to enhance learning experiences, imagine new relationships. Participants write, sketch, paint, draw, photograph, animate, model, and build online inside, and become world activists outside. Activities deliver the Teach For America Model of charting Blooms taxonomy of remember, understand, and then analyze, evaluate, apply, with the final addition of creating. This comprehensive approach to learning motivates student inquiry (I want), develops skills (I can), and moves toward desire to contribute to the world ( I will!).
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals, To assist teachers using eLearning to support Place-based projects with their students.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
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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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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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
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
www. NEXT. cc, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 01/31/2024
Mr Mark Keane
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Term: 2007 -
Dr. Nancy Frank
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Tobiah Deutsch
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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
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:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/27/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.