Bright Ideas
Member Spotlight: OELAO
The Outdoor Early Learning Alliance of Oregon (OELAO) first convened in early 2022 with the goal of using their collective voice to advocate for outdoor preschool licensing in Oregon. While the alliance welcomes anyone who is interested in increasing access to nature-based early childhood programs in the state, current membership mostly comprises program directors, policy makers, and other early childhood leaders. Now that the Oregon legislature has approved licensing for outdoor preschools, OELAO’s work has shifted to ensuring that licensing is implemented in ways that reflect what OELAO members have learned through their many years of experience in nature-based early childhood education.
Natural Start spoke with OELAO member, Nicole Fravel, to learn more.
Oregon is home to many diverse ecosystems and climates. How are these environmental variances reflected in some of the state's nature-based programs?
One of the special qualities of outdoor education is the opportunity for place-based learning. We all take advantage of the specific nature available to us, whether that is a beach on the coast, the shrublands of Bend’s high desert, or the temperate rainforest on the outskirts of Portland. Research shows that when young children are able to connect to nature that’s close to home, they are more likely to grow up to become environmental caretakers. Regardless of each program’s local topography, we are all developing future earth stewards across Oregon.
Can you share more about outdoor preschool licensing in Oregon and OELAO's role in supporting its passing? For advocates hoping to bring outdoor preschool licensing to other states, what would you say the role of a state-wide outdoor learning alliance can be?
From start to finish, OELAO worked closely with the state Senator who sponsored the licensing bill. Representative Courtney Neron attended our meetings to gather feedback on the specifics of the bill before submitting it, and responded to our concerns to make sure the bill supported programs already in operation. As the bill moved closer to a vote, we marshaled parents to write letters of support, and many of us testified before the state Senate. Before OELAO formed, a number of our members worked individually for 8-10 years as program leaders or a part of foundations on an Oregon outdoor preschool licensing process. However, once we organized into an alliance that could show the state how powerful outdoor learning can be–-and how many of us are already doing it successfully–-the licensing effort saw results more quickly. There is certainly power in numbers.
The 2024 national Nature-Based Early Learning Conference is coming to Portland this summer! What are some of the things you would most like visitors to know about your state?
Nature is truly the star here in Oregon. We have such a variety of natural beauty to explore–-from rugged coastlines, to towering snow-covered mountains, to the waterfalls that tumble over the Gorge. If conference attendees have extra time, a hike through the 364 acres of temperate rainforest in Portland’s Forest Park is a must, and many sections are accessible by public transportation. If participants have access to a car, the Oregon coast, majestic Multnomah Falls, and Mt. Hood are all a little over an hour's drive away.
OELAO is presenting at the upcoming NatStart24 conference. Can you give a brief overview of what attendees can expect from this conference session?
A panel of OELAO members will present and answer questions about our licensing process. We will share how our group members found each other, the methods we used to gain traction and recruit parents and legislative leaders to our cause, and the efforts put toward making sure licensing supports more diverse programs in our state. Many of our members attended a panel discussion about Washington State’s licensing process at a previous National Start conference, and we modeled our process after theirs. We hope to inspire similar coalitions in other states to model their future efforts after ours.
