Fieldschool’s Order of Investigators Project

What are Fieldschool Projects?

Each day at Fieldschool, we focus on 1–2 project-based units called "Fieldschool Projects". Each semester we select 4–6 diverse Projects and rotate through them on a weekly basis, providing a consistent backdrop for endless variety and adventure. 

Your learner can sign up for a drop-in pass and only attend on days that have their favourite Projects (for instance, joining each Tuesday for Parkour Academy). Or, they can jump in for 2–4 days per week and experience our full, diverse range of Projects. Click here to view 'em all!

Wait.. what is Fieldschool? Ah, nice to meet you! Let us point you in the right direction...

• Click here to learn what Fieldschool is (big picture)
• Click here for the "nitty gritty" of Fieldschool (full breakdown, all Projects, full schedule etc)

Investigators isn’t another beeswax paper snore club. Join us and unlock the backstage of Vancouver and learn how life is sustained in the big machine… and beyond.  

What is the Order of Investigators? A weekly club that embarks on full-day community exploration and project-based STEM projects. This club is broken into:

• Senior Investigators (age 10–15) focus on environment, sustainability and STEM 
• Junior Investigators (>10) focus on building a connection to nature and exploring/world-building. 

This is a youth co-lead venture; youth participants are encouraged to submit ideas for new projects and adventures, or “up the ante” by diving deeper and exploring new tangents from the existing program schedule. In doing so, youth learn how to be change-makers and turn their ideas into reality. 

What are the core goals of the OOI? Our core goals are the following;

• To both explore something and make something related to sustainability and/or climate change each day so that we maintain a spirit of progress and productivity
• To reach out to at least one local organization or expert each day to elevate our explorations and learn the value of community connection 
• To deepen our connection with life on earth, energize that connection with activating emotions, and then turn those activating emotions into change.  

Why should youth sign up? 

• Connect with like-minded youth and attentive role models who create a safe space for you to share and build on your feelings and thoughts about climate change, modern times and sustainability;
• Protect and evolve your connection to and knowledge of nature and STEM through daily project-based field trips;
• Gain a positive self-image and sense of confidence as you learn valuable life and social skills as well as the secret of “knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do”. 

Who should sign up? Ages 10–15 (senior) and 5–9 (junior) who are:

• Curious or passionate about nature and/or the environment
• Feeling restricted by the amount of time outside or the level of environmental education they receive in school 
• Wanting a sense of adventure and a challenge that will propel them forward in life 
• Wanting to learn how to make a positive impact in the world and seek mentorship regarding school, career and life. 

Fall Program Overview: Order of Investigators

 Fri, Nov 08, 2024: Exploring the lichen/fungus community at Pacific Spirit Park and making an insect hotel inoculated with fungi. Visiting Biodiversity Museum and explore the campus from the perspective of “what can I study about sustainability here?” 

Fri, Nov 15, 2024: Exploring Stanley Park’s invasive species (and the topic of invasive species), pulling them and making an educational geocache containing a sample of English Ivy pressed in a recycled book. Formulating opinions about invasive species and asking questions to local authorities. (bad weather: Science World climate exhibit) 

Fri, Nov 22, 2024: “Food interrogation day”. What agriculture is in our neighbourhood and can we volunteer today? How’s my food related to climate change? What can we pickle today that is NOT a cucumber or a bean?

Fri, Nov 29, 2024: Exploring the False Creek water network and False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) and making our own water filtration system using biosand filters. 

Dec 06, 2024: Exploring sustainable vehicles and transportation in Vancouver. Making a podcast / audio report and interviewing a TransLink staff as well as searching for Vancouver’s Electric Firetruck. 

Dec 13, 2024: Diving into the recycling (yay!): visit a landfill and recycling depot in Richmond. Trash audit and making a creation out of molten recycled plastic

Who is leading it? Paula Vera Cerezo. 

When I was a teenager, my ecoanxiety grew and I felt powerless in a world that was letting such terrible things happen. One day, I realized the anger and frustration I had were closely tied to my passion for the natural world and could be turned into action. That’s how my activism started.

My social and environmental concerns led me to volunteer around the world (Senegal, Colombia, Romania, now Canada!), mostly in environmental education and preservation projects. This gave me first-hand experience with the truly global nature of climate change, including how people can come together to act. As I found my own power as a climate activist, I began supporting others to find their power too. I have been working with kids and young people in different roles since I was 18, helping guide them and support them in their learning process.

How many youth can come? Up to 15 youth in the Junior category and 15 in the senior category