Blending Music with Nature

Hiking in Harmony is a program that benefits youth in their most transformative elementary and middle school years. Integrating healthy outdoor activities with musical instruction – led by naturalists and musicians – creates a learning environment that boosts confidence, builds skills, and improves the well-being of kids at a time when COVID can easily heighten isolation and dependence on technology.

The parents and participants expressed an appreciation for, and the importance of, having role models who represent diverse backgrounds. With the success of Hiking in Harmony 2021, the Kako Foundation, in collaboration with Mentor North and St. Mark’s Giving Garden, offered a Hiking in Harmony summer camp session in July of 2022 which emphasized gardening along with music, outdoor, and relationship-building skills.