OUR MISSION
to inspire a love for the outdoors and foster environmental stewardship in children through free and affordable outdoor instruction programs.
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What we do:
Earth Optimist Club bridges the gap in communications between school systems and outdoor instruction companies, to create and cover the cost of outdoor programs for children. We work with public schools to identify youth and help to integrate them into the community, through partnerships with outdoor instruction companies. Our current and past partnerships include: New England Science and Sailing, Rhode Island Department of Education, Town of Westerly Recreation Department, Mystic Aquarium, Southern RI Conservation District, Rockspot Climbing Gym, Yawgoo Valley, Paddlesurf RI, Colorful Lineup, Boston Museum of Science and more.
Earth Optimist Club also produces community events such as the Celebration of Surf Festival in Westerly RI, an annual festival with national music acts, historic and unique surfboard collections, world-class and locally renowned artists and surfers, and presents fundraising opportunities for local non-profits and coastal conservation efforts and initiatives.
Who we are:
Earth Optimist Club was founded by New England native, Avery Dodd. He is currently pursuing his masters in Education Leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education and holds an undergraduate degree in Business Entrepreneurship from Berklee College of Music. An EMT, Wilderness First Responder, USCG Captain, and with over seven years working in the outdoor instruction space, Avery works full-time as an educator at New England Science and Sailing. He was the Managing Director of Surf Instruction at the Ocean House in Rhode Island, and has worked as a PSIA certified advanced ski instructor at Killington Ski Resort, and Big Sky Resort. In addition to 16+ years of surfing experience, a lifetime of swimming and ocean familiarity, and 26+ years of skiing experience, he has surfed in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Spain, Kauai, Jamaica, Mexico, Ireland, the entire US coastline, and has climbed 20/67 fourteen-ers (mountains over 14,000ft high) so far in the United States.
He is driven by the pursuit to inspire positive social and environmental change through education, music, and entertainment.
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