The Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA) is pleased to offer these comments in support of the Draft Virginia K-12 Environmental Literacy Strategic Plan 2025-2030. Founded by a visionary Arlington Public School (APS) science teacher nearly 70 years ago, the Arlington Outdoor Lab provides hands-on outdoor education to over 9,000 APS students each year. The AOEA is a volunteer-run nonprofit that owns and maintains the 225-acre property in Fauquier County in partnership with APS. Our facility includes a pond and stream tributary of Bull Run, which provides students the opportunity to conduct hands-on research on watershed health, among other activities that instill and foster respect for the natural environment. We are delighted to see the Department of Conservation and Recreation create a strong vision to advance environmental literacy and outdoor learning across the Commonwealth and are eager to work with the Office of Environmental Education to help promote and advance these efforts.

Respectfully submitted,

Colleen Rocha Levine

Secretary, Arlington Outdoor Education Assn.