Yosemite National Institutes

One way to foster the development of future environmental heroes is to expose young people to the wonders of the natural world. To that end, numerous organizations around the Bay Area empower children and families to get outside and explore. One of them is the Yosemite National Institutes (YNI), a 30-year-old organization dedicated to providing outdoor environmental education for Northern California youth through its Headlands Institute programs at the Marin Headlands. This year, on October 26 and 27, YNI will sponsor “Alumni Days,” a weekend for kids and their families to reconnect with the natural world, in the dramatic setting of the Marin Headlands. For more information, call (415)332-5776 or visit www.yni.org. Or attend the 11th Annual Wildlife Education Day at McClellan Ranch Park in Cupertino on October 12, sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, where kids can take a shorebird walk, make a bird feeder, learn about Bay Area wildlife and habitats, and view live animals. For more information, contact (408)252-3740 or visit www.scvas.org.