Youth Explorer Booklet’s Soft Launch Already Making a Real Impact
Modeled after the National Parks Department’s Junior Ranger Program, Washington Wild, The Bureau of Fearless Ideas, and THIS IS INDIAN COUNTRY teamed up to create a Wild Lands & Waters Youth Explorer Booklet. The booklet encourages youth to explore their wild places—from their backyards and community gardens to local, state, and national parks—and build foundational connections with nature. The initial 500-copy print run was distributed among local educators and youth groups to gain feedback for a larger print run in 2025.
Mallory Dubicki is a Sophomore at Ballard High School and a Member of Girl Scout Troop #44466
Encouraging Peers to Head Outdoors
by Mallory Dubicki
My Name is Mal, and I had the opportunity to help write and field test Washington Wild’s Wild Lands and Waters Explorer Guide with my Girl Scout Troop.
One of the most prevalent goals throughout making the Washington Wild Lands and Waters Explorer Guide was to encourage youth in Washington to go outdoors. That’s the whole point of the booklet! Getting kids outside is important because it improves physical, mental, and emotional health. Many of the best times I’ve had with my friends have been running around outside or at some local playground. Even small steps work, getting out for a half hour to garden, or walking somewhere instead of driving can be a mental health boost.
When I was a Counselor in Training at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island this summer, we spent most of our time outside. For most of that month, I noticed I was the happiest I’d been in a while, even without being around my usual friends. Being outside helps everyone get their energy out, get essential nutrients, and make new friends.
One of the highest awards in Girl Scouting, the Silver Award is all about making a difference in your community through a special service project. Working with Washington Wild to create this booklet was the project my troop and I chose to earn our Silver Award. The booklet was a great fit for a Silver Award project because it got us to work together, be creative, and work towards something that would affect people we’ll never meet. Inspired by the National Park Junior Ranger Program that we have all enjoyed, throughout the drafting process we each got to help design a few of the pages, and then field test the early versions on a hike. That was the most exciting part! Making activities that were outdoorsy and fun to complete had us drawing, writing, and sharing our own knowledge to help inform the next generation.
Helping Washington Wild with this project was an amazing experience! Making something that will have impacts on people we may never meet is an incredible feeling and I’m hoping to create more like this in the future. Washington Wild’s work to permanently protect and restore millions of acres of Wilderness fits so closely with the Girl Scouts because we are working to teach future generations and protect the planet. These two goals go together when looking at inspiring Washington kids to get out and learn!
“Helping Washington Wild with this project was an amazing experience! Making something that will have impacts on people we may never meet is an incredible feeling … I want to be in a world where people can live with nature instead of over it.”
When this idea was brought up to us, it felt like a small spark, something I could do to slowly spur the movement of change. I didn’t realize it at the time, but making this booklet was something that would genuinely keep my attention. It’s easy to start projects and let them trickle away, but this never came close. This was something solid, something that I wanted to do, and something that could keep me working.
When I get bored or if the day is going slow, I often take a walk—nowhere specific, but I’ll know when I arrive. Seeing so many communities and environments destroyed by fires, pollution, and neglect breaks my heart. I want to be in a world where people can live with nature instead of over it, elevating ourselves above what is healthy for the Earth is something that will only continue our downward spiral. In conclusion, this project motivated us to combine our work with Washington Wild and our passion for teaching people about the natural world and ways to protect it.
Maddi Hundley, M.Ed is a 5th Grade Teacher at Highline Public Schools
Planting the Seeds of Environmental Stewardship
By Maddi Hundley, M.Ed
Washington Wild’s booklet invites kids to explore the wild places all around them—from their backyards and community gardens to state and national parks. It’s a call to adventure, igniting curiosity and fostering deep connections with the natural world.
Our kids need more opportunities to unplug and step into the wild. They need to see that nature isn’t just in far-off destinations—it’s right outside their front door. The Wild Lands & Waters Explorer Booklet helps them do just that, opening their eyes to the wonders around them and planting the seeds of environmental stewardship.
This isn’t just about education; it’s about sparking a sense of belonging and connection. When kids realize they’re a part of something bigger—an ecosystem that they can explore and protect—it builds confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love for the outdoors.
“This isn’t just about education; it’s about sparking a sense of belonging and connection … As a teacher, I’ve seen the magic of this booklet in action. My fifth-grade students used it during our annual camping trip, and they couldn’t get enough!”
As a teacher, I’ve seen the magic of this booklet in action. My fifth-grade students used it during our annual camping trip, and they couldn’t get enough! With colorful illustrations, engaging activities, and fun challenges, it captured their imaginations and made the natural world come alive. They loved exploring, observing, and learning through hands-on activities that made nature feel personal and accessible.
This is the kind of inspiration our youth deserve. They need to know the outdoors isn’t just “out there”—it’s right here, waiting for them to discover.
