Friends’ youth and community education programs aim to connect local residents to the Columbia Gorge’s rich natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources. Through our outdoor youth education programs, we inspire local students to explore the wonders of the Gorge, offering in-school lessons and two long-established annual programs, The Great Gorge Wahoo! and Explore the Gorge. By helping students overcome barriers to nature and fostering meaningful outdoor experiences, we cultivate the next generation of Gorge protectors. Our community education program complements these efforts by providing engaging learning opportunities for adults, empowering them to become advocates for conservation and stewardship. Through hands-on teaching and informed discussions, we deepen participants’ connection to the Gorge while promoting environmental awareness and preservation.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Friends’ youth programs, please contact Youth & Community Education Specialist Kenzie Hammond here.
Kenzie Hammond (center), Friends’ youth & community education specialist, demonstrates water quality testing
techniques to students from Portland’s St. Andrew Nativity School at Bridal Veil Falls as part of our annual outdoor youth education program, the “Great Gorge Wahoo!” Photo by Paloma Ayala.
Funded by a generous donation from the Winthrop family, The Great Gorge Wahoo! is a twice-annual, single-day field trip for seventh- and eighth-grade students from Portland’s St. Andrew Nativity School.
Funded by a generous donation from Phyllis Clausen, Explore the Gorge is a multiday outdoor workshop allowing local middle school students to explore the geological, cultural, and ecological wonders of the Gorge.
Friends hosts quarterly webinars covering topics such as Gorge wildlife, advocacy, climate change, and more. Check out the archive on YouTube here.
Primary School Children Learning Basic Information About Water Cycles: Geography Teacher Educating Smart Diverse Kids in a Modern Colorful Classroom. Schoolchildren Understanding Weather Factors
Bring the Gorge to your classroom! Friends offers fun, engaging visits to K–12 schools, connecting students with the ecology and conservation of the Columbia Gorge. Click here to get in touch and schedule a visit.
Friends brings the beauty and stories of the Columbia Gorge to life with engaging programs for libraries, retirement homes, community centers, colleges, and more. Want to bring a program to your group? Click/tap here to reach out to us.
Tabling at PCT Days. Photo by Monique Trevett.
Tabling
Friends is available to table at events throughout the Gorge, sharing information about our work and how community members can get involved. If you’d like us to join your event, contact Friends’ Youth & Community Education Specialist Kenzie Hammond at kenzie@gorgefriends.org to learn more.
Latest News
Keep updated on Friends' work, news stories, and the work happening in the Columbia Gorge.
The press release below was sent to media outlets across the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, April 28, 2025. COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, Wash., April 28, 2025 – The Columbia River Gorge Commission, […]
The press release below was sent to media outlets across the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, April 3, 2025. COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, Wash., April 3, 2025 – The Columbia River Gorge […]
The Columbia Gorge would be a very different place without the protections of the National Scenic Area. Unchecked residential, commercial, and industrial development would have consumed parts of it, transforming cliffs, […]
