September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
30 Years of Outdoor Science
Mission
Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS) inspires curiosity, awareness, and understanding of nature and science through quality educational experiences. We engage people through exploration and learning and prepare students to care for the environment.
Vision
MOSS envisions a future where Montanans have a strong connection with nature, understand and value the natural sciences, and are inspired to care for this extraordinary place we call home.
For 30 years, Montana Outdoor Science School has nurtured, educated and inspired a combined love of nature and science for generations of curious kids. We are proud to offer quality educational experiences, helping thousands of children and budding outdoor enthusiasts of all ages explore the region’s vibrant natural surroundings while instilling a life-long passion to care for this extraordinary place we call home.
From our earliest beginnings in 1994, as “Nature Camp”, to the founding of our nonprofit as “Bridger Outdoor Science School” in 1996 and eventually “Montana Outdoor Science School” in 2001, we’ve grown and evolved. At every turn, our loyal and generous community of donors, sponsors, program participants, staff, and volunteers, past and present, have helped to make all our impact and progress possible. We are grateful to celebrate three decades of dedicated service and look forward to many more decades of outdoor education for our community.
PROGRAMS
September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
Youth Summer Camps
• This summer, MOSS collaborated with Crosscut Mountain Sports Center for day camps and Montana Wilderness School for our three backpacking camps. Our 50 camps spanned 11 weeks, and welcomed 550 children through dozens of field trips, seven overnights, and hundreds of miles of exploration.
• We continue to strive to make all camps accessible to our entire community. This summer, MOSS awarded scholarships for 30 campers and subsidized our camps using funding from generous supporters to keep programs affordable. We also provided after camp care (extending the camp day to 5:30pm), shuttles to our first three weeks at Bridger Bowl, and free lunches through the HRDC program.
• MOSS launched two new camps with brand-new curriculum this year: Nature’s Canvas (Grades 7-9) and Indigenous Geology (Grades 5-6)!
• MOSS is grateful for our new partnership with Bridger Bowl Ski Area and the beautiful location of the Bear Canyon Ski Area, owned by Mount Ellis Academy, which served as our home bases for this year’s camps. A special thank you as well to Mount Ellis Elementary for the use of their parking lot for pick up and drop off.
• Our summer camp was led by 18 instructors, including 6 returning staff. Our qualified instructor team has a wide range of backgrounds and experience that includes formal classroom science education as well as expedition leadership and place-based instruction.
PROGRAMS
September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
Schools & Homeschool
• Our Homeschool Science Program expanded to a full semester with 14 weeks of programs in Fall 2023. With 13 students, the program had over 550 hours of instruction for homeschool students in our community.
• MOSS worked with the City of Bozeman to teach the Water Wise Kids program to 13 classrooms and reaching over 300 5th grade Bozeman Public School students during the 2023-2024 school year.
• Our instructors visited schools and met schoolchildren for outdoor science field days, working with 1,078 school kids at 14 schools and organizations.
• MOSS partnered with the American Prairie Field School for a third season of programs, offering 9 days of programs for 43 students in a residential setting as well as two school visits to the National Discovery Center in Lewiston, Montana for 125 students.
Other Youth Programs
• PIR (out of school day) programs in Bozeman and Livingston serving 330+ students throughout the year
• Gallatin Valley Fridays supported Manhattan’s shift to a fourday school week in Fall 2023, welcoming 30 elementary students over the course of five weeks at the Manhattan Community Library
PROGRAMS CONTINUED
September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
Adult Programs
• We completed two more sessions of the Master Naturalist program with MOSS guest instructor Cedar Mathers-Winn, certifying 22 more adults.
• MOSS offered an adult field trip with seven participants in early September 2023 to Fairy Lake.
Outreach & Community
• MOSS was proud to be a community partner with annual events like the Raptor Festival and Museum of the Rockies’ STEM Fun Night, along with other events with the Bozeman Symphony, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and more!
Teachers & Professional Development
• MOSS continued to support the Gallatin Valley Community of Resource Educators Group (CORE). This collaboration brings together like-minded individuals from many different organizations so that we can capitalize on or avoid overlap in programming, sharing volunteer needs and opportunities, funding resources, etc.
• MOSS staff attended and presented at two regional education conferences.
• Our MOSS team hosted a teacher workshop on Montana Climate, Water, and Resilience in November 2023 with 12 teachers.
FINANCIALS
September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
• 5,824 hours learning with 1,078 school kids at 14 schools
• 19,500 hours exploring in the summer with 625 campers in 50 camps
• Generous donors helped MOSS subsidize expenses to provide scholarships and keep fees affordable for both summer camps and school programs.
• MOSS utilized its reserves from previous unrestricted support to ensure delivery of high quality outdoor education while actively exploring restructuring strategies to reduce costs and ensure long-term sustainability.
With Gratitude
Thank you to all the generous donors and foundations that have and continue to support our thirty years of inspiring a love for nature in our community.
Special thanks to:
Bear Dog Foundation
Brandon and Wendy Johnson Family Foundation
Curtis W McGraw Foundation
Dovana Foundation
Elizabeth Wakemen Henderson Charitable Foundation
Eric and Jenn Lammers
Donors who gave $5,000+
Billion Auto Group
Greg Schmidt
Heather Margolis
Tim Warner Sr.
Design 5
Donors who gave $500+
The Adam and Erin Weisbart Fund
Jennifer & Chris Boyer
Angie Weikert
David Dressler
Eric Goldwarg
Board of Directors
As of August 31, 2024
Greg Schmidt, Chair
Jenny Scherer, Vice Chair
Heather Margolis, Secretary
Kellie Peterson, Treasurer
Directors: Emily Krieger, Eric Lammers, Ashley Lowrey, and Dr. Angelique Millette
Year-Round Staff
Johan Erikson
Rose Heider
Gabriela Hennes
Mary Horner-Richardson
Christy Howard
Molly Iversen
Tamara Knappenberger
Mellanie Lerum
Yvonne Leung
Kendal Pittman
Angelee Rose
Shelly Siedlaczek
Brittany Yeley
Instructors
Jaxten Aabzerski
Courtney Atkinson
Brook Baukol
Shannon Baukol
Izzy Bergholz
Ethan Bowen
Taylor Brandt
Noah Brennan
Shaina Brown
Brad Cachopo
Anna Fake
Sophia Hojnacki
Emma Ideson
Claire Jarrell
Adam Kershner
Erica Knappenberger
Ashe Kolden
Lucy Kolpa
Maya Leib-Perry
Darby May
Maya Mendonca
Kelly Nicholson
Matthew Nugent
Annika Odt
Petros Platis
Mary Sellars
Mae Sherman
Soquel Snider
Antionette Tarara
Anna Thomas
Chloe Tinglof
Gillian Wormood
Montana Outdoor Science School is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization Federal ID 81-0503944
www.outdoorscience.org • info@outdoorscience.org P.O. Box 502 Bozeman, MT 59771