Muddy Sneaker’s mission is to awaken in children a deeply felt connection with the natural world. Lake Toxaway Charities approved grants in years 2020 and 2021 to fund programs in our elementary schools and provide 300 Transylvania County 5th grade students, per year, the opportunity to explore the outdoors.
Muddy Sneakers is an environmental education non-profit that partners with public elementary schools to bring fifth graders onto protected lands in their community. Their low-cost model allows us to provide high-quality outdoor experiential education to a diverse cross section of students. Muddy Sneakers provides a core foundation of science knowledge with a curriculum that is deeply intertwined with state standards. Over the course of a year of programming and multiple ‘learning expeditions,’ the Muddy Sneakers experience seeks to cultivate a love of inquiry and a lifelong bond between children and the natural world. Based in Brevard, Muddy Sneakers has deep roots in Western North Carolina, with more than 10 years of experience programming in Transylvania County. The Lake Toxaway Charities Community Sponsorship funding has assisted in covering the teacher training, enrichment materials and programming expenses for Muddy Sneakers to take students off-site to locations such Gorges State Park, Panthertown Valley, DuPont State Recreational Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and privately protected lands under conservation easement within the Richland Ridge community.
