♪ WILLEM: Just when most students at Gilford Elementary School pack up to head out the door... ♪ Kim Lesnewski and her granddaughter, Scarlett, head in.

KIM: You got to put all those things away > Today, remember, we're doing the scavenger hunt.

WILLEM: Kim and Scarlett, along with parent volunteers, prepare a room full of students for an outing.

KIM: Can I spray you?

All right!

> In the beginning, it's a little bit of chaos organized chaos getting the kids all ready to get them out here.

But once we get them out there, we have it pretty much this year, we have enough volunteers that every adult has about 3 or 4 kids only.

> Do you want to be in charge of the lichen?

WILLEM: Right behind the school, along the edge of the parking lot, is a trail.

This is where the trip begins.

KIM: So, we take them out hiking, but we teach what do we each them?

SCARLETT: Um... Leave No Trace.

KIM: And we also teach them...?

Hike safety.

♪ [water rushing] WILLEM: We met Scarlett a couple of years ago at the foot of Mount Washington.

She's known on the trails as Little Foot.

And believe me, she can climb!

♪ At that time, six-year-old Little Foot had already completed all of New Hampshire's forty-eight 4,000-foot peaks.

She did that before she turned five.

♪ [Scarlett giggling] Later that year, we caught up with her on New Hampshire's Mount Hale.

[cheering] [Scarlett giggling] KIM: I think when we saw you guys last, we filmed her Winter 48 finish.

Was that it?

SCARLETT: I think so.

KIM: Yeah, it was the Winter 48 finish.

Since then, she finished her New England 48 Four Seasons.

We finished that in November.

She just needs the rest of her trail work hours to get her patch for that.

Do you know what lichen is a home to?

What animal?

WILLEM: Kim and Scarlett have made it to the summits of nearly all of the highest peaks in New England.

KIM: Little bugs will live in... WILLEM: For safety’s sake, they hike with a team, mostly adults.

It was Scarlett who kindled the idea of getting her peers outdoors.

KIM: Oh!

Scarlett!

What kind of lichen is this?

SCARLETT: Is this KIM: It was already detached.

SCARLETT: It's trumpet and green reindeer.

KIM: Yeah.

> So, it started one day we were on trail, and Scarlett had mentioned doing a hiking club at school and had asked SCARLETT: At mine.

KIM: At her school, yeah.

And had asked if it would be possible.

And I said, Well, let me think about that.

SCARLETT: It took her a while.

KIM: Took me a little while because it's a commitment.

I mean, it's all volunteer.

And, you know, it's a lot of kids.

So, we talked about what we would teach the kids and what we would do during hiking Club Scarlett, what kind of tree is this?

> Scarlett, what kind of tree is this?

SCARLETT: Um... Is that... Is that an oak?

KIM: It is.

But it's a little sapling, so it's not quite a big tree yet.

> She said to me, she's like, I want to show kids that they can go outside and have fun instead of being at home on TV, or sitting on the couch and watching TV.

And I think it's just to foster them.

Not everybody is lucky that they have somebody that loves to be outdoors and hike, so I think that this allows us to reach a lot of kids.

They’re our future and the next generation, so it's important to teach them about being outdoors and how to be safe, especially.

So, that way, as they grow up and they mature, they can teach others.

BOY: Oh no!

Buddy can’t go home.

GIR: Where’s the spider?

BOY: Where did the spider go?

KADE: Hi!

I'm Kade, and I am here in the volunteering role today with the Gilford Elementary School hikers.

So, I love hiking.

I am so excited that they brought this program back again this year.

They did it last fall and I heard all the wonderful things about it.

And I wish I could volunteer more but, oftentimes, because I teach, my schedule doesn’t allow it.

But this is such a great opportunity to get the kids out and explore our beautiful trails here in Belknap County.

WOMAN: Okay.

Let’s see if there’s anything in there.

Oooo!

Cool!

KID: Can I see?

KID TWO: Is there a treasure?

KID: Can I see?

WILLEM: During the hikes, students get close to nature.

It's a fun way to learn about the world they live in.

MAN: Good job!

WOMAN: Nicely done!

KADE: Absolutely.

Sometimes, for some children, this actually works even better this environment.

From my experience, I also teach adults, and, oftentimes, I have classes outside where we have walk and talk class where we're walking the trails while we are talking about healthy nutrition and setting goals in your life.

For many, it's much more... it helps you free your mind, and you're more likely to maybe acquire new skills and knowledge when you are in the woods.

KIM: It is!

It's a great classroom!

They learn all this cool stuff about I mean, many people GIRL: Can I have a pen?

KIM: There you go.

Oh, it’s part of a tree nut already opened.

KID: Ahhh.

KIM: They learn about all the stuff in the environment.

I mean, it's an education out here.

I honestly never knew this much about lichen until I started hiking with Scarlett and she found a love for lichen and I've had to learn about it.

So, I've had to learn!

> It might be cinder.

KID: I think it might be KIM: Oh, you think it might be fluffy dust?

KID: It’s still not flat.

It's definitely not flat.

SCARLETT: Oh yeah!

It's fluffy dust!

KADE: You would think they’d come home tired and want to nap, but they're so excited.

They're so happy to share what they have experienced, what they have found.

Like, today, all these items on the scavenger list.

It's amazing.

BOY: Yay!

KADE: Is it fun?

BOY TWO: Yeah.

KADE: When you come home, what do you say?

What do you say about hiking club?

BOY TWO: It's awesome.

KADE: It's awesome, right?

And they're also learning new things, you know BOY: And hiking!

KADE: And hiking, yes!

And I hope that one day, they will teach their kids to come out and play like me.

BOY: Like me!

[chuckling] KADE: Like you, yeah.

KIM: Penny, what do we have to do at this trail junction?

What do we need to wait for?

PENNY: The others.

KIM: The rest of the group.

So, let's just wait for the group.

They learn how to work together.

It's team building.

You know, right now, they're working in a group together and, you know, Penny's relying on Scarlett's knowledge of tree and they all rely on the strengths of each other, and they work together.

It's great.

WILLEM: Scarlett and her grandmother never miss an opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge.

WARDEN: Our plan for you guys would be to make noise.

WILLEM: They partner with New Hampshire Fish and Game at public events such as this one in Laconia.

Together, they promote safe hiking.

KIM: There's a lot of things that I'm a huge advocate for as far as getting kids outside, but I think I'm an even larger advocate for getting kids outside safely, and that's always just been huge.

I mean, she's always carried a backpack.

And she just graduated to her first adult backpack, and she carries almost 10 pounds.

So, for me, I want parents to realize you can do it, and they don't need to start with a backpack like this.

They can start with an empty backpack.

It's just something on their back.

It's like your lifesaver that has your life-saving equipment.

WOMAN: Where does it occur?

Because we see the dirt on his leg, but we don't know did you bump your head?

KIM: The minute somebody gets hurt, she'll be the first one saying, I've got an ace bandage!

And if somebody gets hurt, she'll go right up to them and try and help them.

> Look at how nice that cleaned up.

Wow, Warren.

Good job she did.

> So, I just think it's important for people and parents to realize that they can definitely get kids outside and do it safely.

There's so much out here.

WILLEM: The idea of a school hiking club came to Scarlett while on a hike, and like most things she puts her mind to, it's gaining traction.

KIM: Good job, Amelia, KADE: I don't know if you already heard this, but when they announced this club, it was like booked within like eight minutes and there were not enough spots for more kids.

So, there's big demand and not enough spots.

I think it's fantastic to have such a little star in the school and get other kids excited about hiking, and I think it's more relatable to kids to see someone their age share the passion.

KIM: Good job, girls.

> We're fostering more than just being out in the wilderness and being out on trails; we're fostering her personal growth.

♪ ALL: Thank you, Windows to the Wild!

WOMAN: Woohoo!