The Säjai FoundationThe Säjai FoundationJake LooneyJake Looney

The Säjai Foundation The Säjai Foundation Overview and MissionOverview and Mission

The Säjai Foundation is a The Säjai Foundation is a Minnesota-based nonprofit Minnesota-based nonprofit organization created by organization created by Barbara King that works to Barbara King that works to combat childhood obesity combat childhood obesity and to inspire wise health and to inspire wise health and nutrition choices.and nutrition choices.

The Foundation has a The Foundation has a developed a family of developed a family of programs called programs called Wise KidsWise Kids to  to teach children about healthy teach children about healthy living and to encourage living and to encourage them to be actively involved them to be actively involved in the outdoors. in the outdoors. 

Wise Kids: Wise Kids: OutdoorsOutdoors

The Wise Kids Outdoors Program is an evaluated The Wise Kids Outdoors Program is an evaluated after-school and summer camp program which after-school and summer camp program which offers children an opportunity to explore the world offers children an opportunity to explore the world of nature while of nature while emphasizingemphasizing the importance of the importance of eating right and being physically active.eating right and being physically active.

Missions teach them about critters and bugs, the Missions teach them about critters and bugs, the weather, how to safely explore in the outdoors, weather, how to safely explore in the outdoors, stewardship principles of reducing and reusing, and stewardship principles of reducing and reusing, and caring for the earth.caring for the earth.

The Wise Kids Outdoors program was implemented The Wise Kids Outdoors program was implemented in four recreation programs offered by the Saint in four recreation programs offered by the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department in Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and three recreation programs Paul, Minnesota, and three recreation programs provided by San Francisco Recreation and Parks provided by San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department in San Francisco, California. Department in San Francisco, California.

InputsInputs The Säjai Foundation is guided by The Säjai Foundation is guided by

the expertise of an eight-member the expertise of an eight-member board of directors who ensure board of directors who ensure focus and clarity of mission in focus and clarity of mission in reaching children in an effective, reaching children in an effective, meaningful way and in meaningful way and in maximizing Foundation maximizing Foundation resources.resources.

We receive donations and grants We receive donations and grants that fund our Wise Kids and Wise that fund our Wise Kids and Wise Kids Outdoors programs. Kids Outdoors programs. Donations are used to impact Donations are used to impact children’s lives across the children’s lives across the country and to continue our work.country and to continue our work.

GregariousGregarious professionals are professionals are encouraged to volunteer their encouraged to volunteer their time and talents, as we are time and talents, as we are always looking for volunteers to always looking for volunteers to help with research projects, beta help with research projects, beta site testing, and more.site testing, and more.

OutputsOutputs

Volunteers will learn to Volunteers will learn to work more efficiently work more efficiently and cooperatively with and cooperatively with children children

Enrollment in the Enrollment in the program across both program across both cities included 175 cities included 175 youth ages 6 to 12 from youth ages 6 to 12 from diverse socio-economic diverse socio-economic and cultural and cultural backgrounds. backgrounds.

ProcessProcess Children go on a Children go on a 20-mission

evaluated after-school and summer-camp program developed by the Sajai Foundation.

Each Wise Kids Outdoors Each Wise Kids Outdoors session sends them on session sends them on outdoor adventure outdoor adventure missions, guided by trained missions, guided by trained staff. staff.

The program is be divided The program is be divided into three learning tracks: into three learning tracks: Core Stewardship, Core Stewardship, Adventure and Outdoor Adventure and Outdoor Skills, and Environmental Skills, and Environmental Education.Education.

OutcomesOutcomes

Better understanding of how humans Better understanding of how humans and nature need to live in balance to and nature need to live in balance to be healthy.be healthy.

Children will get outside and begin to Children will get outside and begin to reconnect to the world around them.reconnect to the world around them.

Children should Children should gleanglean from the 20- from the 20-mission program the central concept mission program the central concept of Energy Balance (Calories in should of Energy Balance (Calories in should equal calories out).equal calories out).

Community NeedCommunity Need

Youths are increasingly afflicted with NDD or “nature Youths are increasingly afflicted with NDD or “nature deficit disorder;” the result of children and adolescents deficit disorder;” the result of children and adolescents not having as many direct experiences with nature.not having as many direct experiences with nature.

From the years 1997 to 2003, there was a 50% drop in From the years 1997 to 2003, there was a 50% drop in the number of youth who participated in outdoor the number of youth who participated in outdoor activities, including walking, hiking, and fishing.activities, including walking, hiking, and fishing.

Furthermore, only six percent of children age 9 to 13 Furthermore, only six percent of children age 9 to 13 plays outside on their own!plays outside on their own!

The resulting disconnect from the natural world is The resulting disconnect from the natural world is contributing to a diminished appreciation for the contributing to a diminished appreciation for the environment, and producing ill effects on the minds environment, and producing ill effects on the minds and bodies of children and adolescents.and bodies of children and adolescents.

Community Need Community Need (Continued)(Continued)

There is growing There is growing evidence evidence indicating that there are indicating that there are healthy outcomes associated healthy outcomes associated with unstructured play in with unstructured play in nature, and that nature, and that although although children only play outdoors for children only play outdoors for limited amounts of time, they limited amounts of time, they enjoy playing outdoors, and enjoy playing outdoors, and given more choice and given more choice and opportunity, many would play opportunity, many would play outdoors more than they outdoors more than they currently do.currently do.

This program, in turn, will This program, in turn, will serve as an serve as an integralintegral vehicle vehicle for developing and enhancing for developing and enhancing nature appreciation in youth.nature appreciation in youth.

Link to Critical Reading, Link to Critical Reading, Thinking, and ActionThinking, and Action

Children must utilize their critical reading Children must utilize their critical reading skills to skills to capturecapture nature’s role in an nature’s role in an industrialized world.industrialized world.

Then, they must employ their critical Then, they must employ their critical thinking skills to thinking skills to assess assess how maintaining a how maintaining a healthy environment will healthy environment will undergirdundergird the the development of a healthy body.development of a healthy body.

Contrarily, Children must Contrarily, Children must investigate investigate the the dangers of environmental destruction and dangers of environmental destruction and how this process how this process encumbersencumbers human human prosperity and development. prosperity and development.

Link to Critical Reading, Link to Critical Reading, Thinking, and Action Thinking, and Action

(Continued)(Continued) Children will Children will engageengage their critical their critical

action skills to action skills to formulate formulate a schedule a schedule that incorporates and evenly that incorporates and evenly distributes time for school and distributes time for school and exercise.exercise.

Holistically, the program challenges Holistically, the program challenges the board of directors to the board of directors to experimentexperiment and and evaluateevaluate what missions are what missions are effective and others that are not. effective and others that are not.

Just-Think Foundation Just-Think Foundation OverviewOverview

o Just think teaches children to lead HEALTHY, Just think teaches children to lead HEALTHY, responsible, independent lives in a culture responsible, independent lives in a culture highly-impacted by the media.highly-impacted by the media.

o Just-Think’s Peer Health and Media Education Just-Think’s Peer Health and Media Education (PHAME) program was designed as a way to use (PHAME) program was designed as a way to use media as an exciting vehicle to engage youth in media as an exciting vehicle to engage youth in the subject of health and to stimulate positive the subject of health and to stimulate positive choices around youth health issues with the choices around youth health issues with the belief in the power of role modeling and the belief in the power of role modeling and the effectiveness of peer to peer education.effectiveness of peer to peer education.

Although the programs utilize different teaching methods and tackle contrasting subjects, they both pursue the same goal and methodology; Fostering critical thinking to become healthier.