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WOW - Wonderful Outdoor World - is a unique program that introduces urban youth, ages eight to twelve, to outdoor recreation and environmental education during an overnight camping experience within the heart of their own community. Unlike other camping and recreation programs, WOW brings the wonders and excitement of camping and the environment directly into the neighborhoods and communities of the children most in need. This innovative new approach provides young people with the basic skills and encouragement to enjoy further outdoor experiences.

The idea of WOW began in 1994, when a group of concerned public and private sector leaders began discussing the lack of interest among many of today's young people in actively enjoying the wonders of the natural world. Their goal was to develop a program to re-introduce outdoor recreation and environmental education into the lives of today's inner city youth. The pilot program for WOW was launched in Los Angeles in the spring of 1995. Operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, campouts are conducted at various recreation centers throughout the city during the summer months. The WOW program expanded to Arizona in 1996, Colorado in 1998, Washington, DC in 1999, and to Utah and New Mexico in 2001. To date, WOW has reached over 8,200 youths at 240 campouts across the country.

WOW is a result of the hard work of a unique group of companies, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations interested in environmental education and outdoor recreation. National WOW sponsors include The Coleman Company, Leave No Trace, Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, The Recreation Roundtable, USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, USDI National Park Service, The Walt Disney Company, and Wells Cargo.

WOW Highlights
Now entering its 9th year, WOW - Wonderful Outdoor World is in six states, including California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington DC, Utah and New Mexico. At its inception, the program aimed to introduce inner city youths to outdoor recreation and environmental education through a 24-hour camping experience within the heart of their community. But WOW continues to accomplish that goal and so much more...
  • Since 1999, an equestrian unit featuring WOW campers and program sponsors has been featured in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. The selected children are taught equine care, safety and riding skills, as well as the importance of habitat protection. In January 2004, United States Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton joined the WOW equestrian unit in the parade.
  • For the past two years, ESPN has hosted WOW campers and chaperones for a hands-on learning experience at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, where the youths served as "Environmentality Ambassadors," staffing a WOW booth in the heart of the games and sharing recycling tips, Leave No Trace principles and leading environmental activities for visitors to the Games.
  • In other areas, our federal partners have emphasized the importance of water conservation and boating safety through educational opportunities, including a healthy habitat event and a cleanup on the Anacostia river in Washington DC. In addition, both Arizona and Colorado have introduced a nutrition segment to their respective programs.