The Libra Foundation will invest $1.3 million over the next two years to expand Maine Outdoor School for All, a statewide program that reached 1,675 students from 43 schools in its first year. The gift will help University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which administers the program, expand opportunities for public school students to participate in interdisciplinary, experiential learning in natural settings.

“The Libra Foundation is pleased to support University of Maine Cooperative Extension as it expands this model throughout the state and works toward consistent, ongoing public funding,” said Jere Michelson, President and CEO of the Libra Foundation, in an Extension news release. “Sustained support can help make these experiences available to Maine students while strengthening connections to the natural resources and career pathways that are important to the state’s future.”

Maine Outdoor School for All connects students with outdoor learning opportunities designed to develop collaboration and STEM skills, build confidence and self-awareness and introduce academic and career pathways related to the state’s natural resources. It also builds a pipeline of young, talented students who can become Maine’s next generation of teachers. Through multi-day, overnight experiences, certified Outdoor School providers use local ecosystems as a setting for hands-on learning, observation, discovery, teamwork, critical thinking and real-world problem-solving. The program also supports classroom learning and introduces students to fields including forestry, marine resources, agriculture, clean energy and outdoor recreation.

The program launched during the 2025-26 school year under the Outdoor School for All Maine Students bill, which was signed into law by Governor Mills in 2025 but didn’t receive state funding, according to the news release. In its pilot year, with financial support from six Maine foundations, seven certified providers delivered outdoor school experiences for students in 14 of Maine’s 16 counties. 

“The Libra Foundation’s investment will help more Maine middle-schoolers experience learning that extends beyond the classroom,” said Hannah Carter, dean of Extension. “Outdoor School gives students opportunities to work together to solve problems and see connections between what they are learning today and the opportunities available to them in the future. The pilot year demonstrated both the impact of these experiences and the demand for them across Maine.”

Data from the pilot year indicate that the experiences supported several of the program’s goals, according to the Cooperative Extension. Eighty-nine percent of surveyed students rated their outdoor school experience positively, 63% said it made them more interested in nature and 56% reported greater confidence that they could achieve their goals. Sixty-six percent said they were more likely to work harder in school following the experience. Educators reported positive influences on school engagement, interpersonal skills, teamwork, behavior and academic performance. 

Libra Foundation cited the immersive, interdisciplinary outdoor education offered through Maine Outdoor School for All and Extension’s demonstrated ability to grow the program statewide as reasons for its investment. The foundation is also interested in the effort to establish consistent, ongoing public funding that is needed to sustain the program.

The $1.3 million commitment will help support the next phase of Maine Outdoor School for All as the program works toward broader access. When fully funded, the program’s goal is to create equitable opportunities for all Maine public school students to participate in outdoor education while supporting student well-being and confidence, classroom learning, educator development and educational and workforce pathways in natural resource-related fields.

More information about Maine Outdoor School for All is available at the program webpage. 

About University of Maine Cooperative Extension: As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine's land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.