The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre

12/31/2025

As we welcome a new year, we want to pause and say thank you.

To our generous donors, dedicated educators, committed partners, and passionate supporters—your belief in The Outdoor School at Camp Rancho Alegre makes life-changing outdoor education possible for students across our region. Because of you, thousands of young people explored nature, built confidence, and discovered a deeper connection to the world around them this past year.

As we closed out the year, your generosity also helped us reach our $25,000 matching gift challenge today, doubling the impact of every dollar given and expanding access to hands-on, equitable outdoor education for even more students.

👉 Click Here to Gift A Life Changing Experience: https://donations.scouting.org/ #/council/053/appeal/8001

Your support sustains our programs, strengthens Camp Rancho Alegre, and ensures that every child—regardless of background—has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive outdoors.

We enter the new year with gratitude, momentum, and excitement for what lies ahead. Together, we will continue inspiring curiosity, stewardship, and lifelong learning.

Thank you for believing in our students and in the power of outdoor education.

Happy New Year from all of us at The Outdoor School at Camp Rancho Alegre.

07/10/2025

It’s been 8 years since the Whittier Fire went through camp taking most of the buildings with it and closing our operations at Rancho Alegre until the spring of 2024

Since then we have run 3 small seasons of science camp and are about to go into an almost full school year this September!

We are so grateful to be open and operating again and providing program to so many 5th and 6th graders where we get to teach respect and inspire wonder of the natural world

03/07/2025

We had a great time with some of the Rio School District kids, we look forward to seeing again.

https://youtu.be/N9zDHAceIWA

12/03/2024

🌟 This Giving Tuesday, Open the Outdoors to All! 🌿

At The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre, we’ve been inspiring young minds since 1957 through hands-on outdoor education. After overcoming the challenges of the 2017 Whittier Fire, we’ve rebuilt our facilities and are ready to provide unforgettable experiences to the next generation of environmental stewards.

💚 Your Giving Tuesday gift helps grow our scholarship fund, ensuring that students from all financial backgrounds can attend. Together, we can:
⛰️ Keep our programs accessible to all, regardless of background.
⛰️Bring more kids to camp to experience the magic of outdoor education.
⛰️Provide opportunities to hike trails, explore ecosystems, and make lifelong memories.

For many, this is their first time hiking, stargazing, or seeing wildlife up close. These moments spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire a lifelong connection to nature.

This is more than camp—it's an experience that changes lives.

🥾Click here to give: https://donations.scouting.org/ #/council/053/appeal/4966

10/17/2024

Hey Outdoor School Community!

As we gear up for an exciting fall season, we’ve added some new items to our Amazon Wishlist to help enhance our program! Your generous donations directly support our students and make a huge difference in their experience.

Thanks to you, the kids have been loving the supplies from last spring, and we’re thrilled to keep the momentum going. Every item donated goes a long way in creating unforgettable outdoor adventures for our students!

Check out our Wishlist and help us bring even more joy to The Outdoor School! Thank you for being such an incredible part of our community. 🌲📚💚

09/18/2024

We are so thankful to everyone who has contributed to our $50,000 in 30 days matching challenge! We are excited to share that we have hit our first milestone have raised $28,602.30, which means we only need $21,397.70 to unlock the full $50,000 match by September 30th in order to meet our $100,000 goal for the month.
You can still double your impact! Every dollar you give will be matched 1:1, helping us reach our goal and make a bigger difference in completing the Rancho Alegre rebuild project.
Please consider donating today and inviting your contacts to join you as we work us close the gap by clicking here double your gift. https://donations.scouting.org/ #/council/053/appeal/4966
We are so grateful for your continued support and look forward to meeting the challenge.

08/07/2024

We are ready for your students, set your date to provide them the experience of a lifetime.

Seven years after the Whittier Fire tore through Rancho Alegre, The Outdoor School is officially open for the 2024-25 school year. The school closed in

06/26/2024

Thank you to all of our supporters we are back and ready for kids to come back and make memories!

The Outdoor School at Camp Rancho Alegre in Santa Barbara County is reopening after a seven-year closure.

06/20/2024

We are humbled and thankful for the support our community has afforded our efforts to serve our local kids.

The Outdoor School has made a monumental comeback, reopening after rising from the ashes nearly seven years to the day after the historic Whittier Fire ravaged the 215-acre camp and

03/31/2024

A huge thank you to all our volunteers yesterday that helped us make all the bunk beds for the students for Outdoor School!!

With all of the support we got 64 bunk beds made in about 4 hours