The Mosaic Project

THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL: WHILE TYPICAL OUTDOOR SCHOOLS FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, OURS ADDRESSES ISSUES OF DIFFERENCE AND BUILDS SELF-ESTEEM AND COMMUNITY. OUR STUDENTS NEVER FORGET THIS INSPIRING LEARNING EXPERIENCE. WE REACH THEM BEFORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES SURROUNDING DIFFERENCE BECOME ENTRENCHED AND WE ENABLE THEM TO LIVE WITH, LEARN FROM, AND BEFRIEND OTHERS WITH WHOM THEY WOULD NOT ORDINARILY INTERACT. TOGETHER IN A BEAUTIFUL, NATURAL SETTING, THEY BEGIN TO RECOGNIZE THEIR COMMONALITIES AND GAIN RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE UNIQUENESS OF ALL INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THEMSELVES. THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO OVERCOME IGNORANCEAND INSECURITIES WHICH CAN LEAD TO FEAR OF DIFFERENCE, PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION, HATRED, AND VIOLENCE. WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH THE PROFOUND, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE, EGALITARIAN COMMUNITY ACROSS RACE, CULTURE, AND CLASS BARRIERS, INSPIRING AND EMPOWERING THEM TO CREATE SUCH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THEIRLIVES. THE PARTNER TEACHERS INSTITUTE TURNS THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL INTO A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREAT FOR OUR PARTNER TEACHERS. WE PROVIDE WORKSHOPS EACH DAY TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY WITH THE THEMES, MUSIC, AND MEMORABLE MOSAIC MOMENTS THEIR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE AND TO HELP THEM TO REINFORCE MOSAICLESSONS BACK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK AMONG OUR PARTNER TEACHERS THROUGH WHICH THEY CAN EXCHANGE IDEAS AND PLAN JOINT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. In the fall for the start of the 2022-2023 School year, we were able to run our Outdoor School camps for the first time since 2019. The five weeks of sessions was less than half our pre-Covid scheduled programming of 12 sessions per year.

The Mosaic Consulting Project (MCP): TOGETHER, WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS MUTUAL RESPECT, CONNECTION, AND A CELEBRATION OF DIFFERENCES AND THAT MOTIVATES ALL MEMBERS TO ACHIEVE AT THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. MOSAIC CONSULTING PROJECT TRAININGS UTILIZE EXPERIMENTAL, DYNAMIC ACTIVITIES TO EXPLORE DIFFERENCES AND BUILD COMMUNITY. OUR FOCUS ON EMPATHY, APPRECIATION OF DIFFERENCES, ASSERTIVENESS, TEAM BUILDING, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION CREATES A MORE ENGAGED, EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE AND A MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE.Without the Outdoor School in the spring, we were able to focus on the Mosaic Consulting Project for a second consecutive year resulting in record levels of revenue and programming. There are no plans to replicate this performance when we return to full year Outdoor School programming.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROJECT: WE OFFER LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR HIGH-SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AGED STUDENTS WHO SERVE AS MENTORS FOR THE 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS AT OUR OUTDOOR SCHOOL. THE PROJECTS CURRICULUM ADDRESSES ISSUES OF DIFFERENCE WHILE BUILDING LEADERSHIP SKILLS. YOUTH LEADERS UNDERGO EXTENSIVE TRAINING PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL. ONCE THERE, THE TRAINING CONTINUES AS THEY SERVE AS CABIN LEADERS FOR A SESSION, PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE. WE OFFER THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS YEAR-ROUND, INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS, WORKSHOPS, GUEST LECTURES, GAME DAYS, FIELD TRIPS, AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS. THE PROJECT ENCOURAGES THE GROWTH OF A VIBRANT CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNITY OF YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA.The Youth Leadership Project successfully ran spring and fall training events at pre-Covid participation levels.