Photo by Ashley Gramlich 2008

 

 

Our Mission

 

In 1994 River Ridge began as a vision to bring the outside world alive to people of all ages. Kim Bailey, the founder and first director of River Ridge, chose an experiential approach to education. This method allows River Ridge participants to incorporate all five senses in their learning experience. Whether it’s capturing aquatic animals in the lake, identifying trees, taking hikes in the woods, learning basic survival skills or having the confidence to jump out of a tree to slide down the Zip Line, students and chaperones experience nature first hand each and every day. River Ridge classes help promote a strong sense of compassion, responsibility, respect and stewardship to the world around us. Our program offers over 30 unique classes which focus on science, team building, cultural history or outdoor recreation. Teachers love our program because we provide practical applications for principles and information covered in the classroom to help students be ready for TCAP testing. Parents and administrators value our emphasis on safety, structure and supervision in every aspect of our program. River Ridge hosts approximately 7,000 participants each year from across the southeast including Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.