The “School of the Wild” is a successful and growing program designed to foster an early and deep connection between kids and parks (and nature generally) under the leadership of Jay Gorsh, Director of School of the Wild, University of Iowa. Initially, the program demonstrated its effectiveness in the Iowa City Community School District.  Then, the program successfully completed a “pilot “ with the Central Decatur Community School District in Decatur County.   Since then, again under the leadership of Jay Gorsh, Director of Wildlife Camps at State Parks, the School of the Wild has blossomed through a partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in State Parks. Now, School of the Wild is pursuing partnerships in other counties and school districts throughout Iowa.  Specifically, the School of the Wild is partnering with counties in the Grant Wood Loop and the Boone Forks Region, under the Parks to People initiative of the Iowa Parks Foundation.  On a voluntary basis within each region, counties and school districts are planning to participate in the School of the Wild in 2020 and beyond.  The Iowa Parks Foundation is extremely proud to be partnering with the IDNR and the School of the Wild, University of Iowa, to promote and expand initiatives specifically designed to get kids into any and all of Iowa’s parks as often and as early as possible.  IPF’s vision continues to be “Getting More People into More Parks More Often”.