DATE:  6/22/07

WRITER/CONTACT:  Pam Bryant, (803) 553-7705; pbryant@clemson.edu

Clemson University represents SC at national forum

PICKENS – Clemson University is represented this week in the nation’s capitol at the inaugural meeting of The National Forum on Children and Nature, an initiative of The Conservation Fund designed to reconnect children with nature. The Forum, which Governor Mark Sanford co-chairs, is designed to identify and address critical issues impacting children’s health and environmental stewardship by developing nationally significant demonstration projects.

Jorge Calzadilla, executive director of Clemson’s Youth Learning Institute, was selected to serve as an adviser to the Forum along with some of the country’s most influential leaders in education and environmental conservation. Public and private agencies engaged in the initiative include top executives from DuPont, The North Face, Travelocity and Sesame Street , the presidents of the Turner Foundation and National Audubon Society. 

Calzadilla represents Clemson on the Forum’s Education Advisory Panel, one of four advisory panels focused on the critical areas of education, health, the built environment and media/culture. Together, the advisors will identify and recommend to the Forum 20 innovative and effective programs that reconnect kids with the outdoors. The programs will be announced at a national press event in Fall 2008.

“I am deeply humbled to be chosen to represent Clemson University and South Carolina on the national front, to bring attention to the critical issues of children’s health and our natural environment. As a firm believer in the power of nature-based, experiential education, I am enthusiastic about the outcomes of the initiatives this Forum will deliver toward positively impacting children across America,” said Calzadilla.

As an advisor to the Forum, Calzadilla brings more than 26 years experience in education and an extensive track record of contributions to positive youth development and community change. Joining Clemson University in 1987 to direct a nine-week summer camp program with 12 staff members, Jorge proposed the establishment of the Youth Learning Institute in 2003, which manages three sites that operate year-round with over 60 active programs and more than 175 employees.

Jim Anthony, founder and president of The Cliffs Communities, long-time Clemson partner and Forum member recommended Calzadilla as an advisor. The Cliffs Communities, an international corporation for master-planned development, is an industry leader in demonstrating a development philosophy that promotes land conversation and preservation, wellness and service to youth and families.

“The Cliffs organization is committed to conserving natural resources and the National Forum on Children and Nature affords an outstanding opportunity to join hands with a nation-wide movement to affect the health of future generations,” said Anthony. “We are excited about our local partnership with Clemson University and the Youth Learning Institute to engage children and families in quality, life-impacting outdoor experiences. Jorge Calzadilla is a creative and committed leader related to youth initiatives and we are pleased to have him join us in this vital endeavor.”

Governors, mayors, corporate and environmental CEO’s and leaders from health and education institutions are expected to invest a minimum $20 million in the initiative. The Conservation Fund, one of the country’s leading environmental nonprofits and creator of the Forum on Children and Nature, has pledged the first $1 million to the endeavor.

For more information on The Conservation Fund or the National Forum on Children and Nature, visit online at www.conservationfund.org. Learn more about Clemson University ’s Youth Learning Institute at www.clemson.edu/yli.

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