ECHO Rangers

In my last post about our visit to DeBary Hall I mentioned that we were signing the girls up as part of our homeschooling schedule this Fall for a program called ECHO Rangers.  This stands for Ecological, Cultural, Heritage and Outdoors.  The program is done for kids 1st to 5th grades in conjunction with various museums, historical sites, parks and municipal locations to teach them about the county they inhabit and the history, natural environment, artistic outlets etc.. that are available.

Beginning August 16th, 2013 and going through to the cookout and graduation celebration May 31, 2014, each participant gets their booklet and lanyard for the program price of $20.  Each child works with their family to go to the sites, museums or functions over the course of these 9 months and has a stamp placed in their notebooks as they attend these educational and fun activities designed by each locations program director.

Girls program notebooks and lanyards that act as their entry passes to our various sites required to visit as a part of the program.  This passport is where you collect the required 8 stamps to graduate and participate in the graduation BBQ.

This will be a great opportunity to check out places in our county that will not only be fun and educational, but will allow us to meet some other kids and probably other homeschoolers since this is the kind of activity that attracts others like us to participate in.  (smile)  Also looking at news articles and reviews from past years there seemed to be a lot of the participants in the program who were homeschoolers. 

Since Hannah is going into the 4th grade, part of the curriculum at this point is to do a complete history of your particular state.  We did this with Cameron when we were in California and made a LOT of tours of the Missions that were around the Southern California area and some of the local sites that were old Indian and Spanish historical sites.  It was fun and very educational and something he still remembers fondly.  Especially when we created the San Diego Basilica out of stuccoed cardboard and painted penne pasta to simulate the roof tiles. It was fun, so we're hoping this will be equally entertaining and educational for both the girls, but particularly for Hannah as we begin her Florida State History course.

If you're interested here's the link to the program.  ECHO Rangers

We'll be making follow up posts as we make our trips to the various locations to explore our new home State and enjoy this program that we're now a part of.

Have a great day - Lynda