Where Does the Money Go?

Lottery Dollars Support Outdoor School

When lots of Oregonians each play a bit of lottery, funds add up to help Oregon’s 5th and 6th graders participate in an Oregon tradition — Outdoor School.

Lottery Dollars Support Outdoor School

Many Oregonians share happy memories of attending fifth- or sixth-grade camp, or Outdoor School, as it’s now known. These days away from the classroom (and nights away from home) were filled with campfires, s’mores and the novelty of hanging out with friends in some of Oregon’s most beautiful natural settings.

While it might be fun for kids to see teachers emerge from rumpled sleeping bags in their pajamas, there is serious learning to be done. Today, 92 percent of participating schools design camp programs to support their existing science curriculum. Even better, most report significant growth in students’ leaderships, critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Because of these extraordinary results, Oregon voters decided that all Oregon fifth- or sixth-grade students should have the opportunity to share in this classic childhood experience, funded in part by Lottery dollars. While not yet at 100 percent, participation is growing, ensuring that Oregon kids can continue to participate in this defining opportunity, hopefully for generations to come.

35,000+

students participated last school year

486

of Oregon’s public & private schools participated

105,060

cumulative days spent learning outdoors by Oregon students

36

counties participating (that’s all of them!)

Featured Projects

An older student leads younger students on a hike at Camp Tamarack.

Central Oregon’s Camp Tamarack

An older student leads younger students on a hike at Camp Tamarack.

Central Oregon’s Camp Tamarack

Young boy attending Outdoor School at Camp Hancock

Harney kids dive into Outdoor School

Outdoor School with instructor

A Small District Dives In

student picking up a rock from a small tidepool

Coos Bay Adventures at OMSI’s Camp Grey

students with teacher in a field

A Passport to Nature

handmade necklaces made wood with beads
leaf-magnifying
Our mission? We guide and support equitable, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary outdoor school programs for Oregon’s youth.
— OSU Extension Service, overseeing Oregon’s outdoor school programs

Explore All Outdoor School Stories

Want to see all the ways Outdoor School programs are supported by Lottery dollars in your county? Or even across the state?

Read On!

LOTTERY DOLLARS DOING GOOD THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Qualifying for Funding — Outdoor School

Public and private schools in Oregon may qualify for lottery funding for their outdoor school programs. Schools can apply through Oregon State University’s Extension Service.