Youth Experiential Training Institute (Y.E.T.I.) will be honored by the Highline School Board this Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, recognizing the local nonprofit’s long-standing commitment to providing free outdoor experiences to local students.
For more than 15 years, Y.E.T.I. has collaborated closely with teachers, parents, and community volunteers to make outdoor adventures accessible for young people. The nonprofit now operates at nine school sites, offering over 160 outdoor trips annually and serving more than 400 youth each year.
Recent program growth has been fueled by community support and funding from state and county sources, including Washington’s “No Child Left Inside” grant. Previously funded at $7 million, the grant allowed Y.E.T.I. to significantly expand its programming. However, state legislators are now considering a reduced renewal amount of $4.5 million in the upcoming budget.
Y.E.T.I. advocates recently traveled to Olympia to discuss continued funding with lawmakers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining outdoor access for youth.
“Y.E.T.I. has always relied on the community to make its work possible; staff, volunteers, parents, teachers, and others make the programs go, the community rallying to replace gear when we were broken into, and moments like now when we will advocate for funding and finding new sources to make it possible to keep up the work to make sure every young person has the opportunity for outdoor adventure and all the benefits that come from time outside,” said David Dunphy, Y.E.T.I. Executive Director.
The Highline School Board’s recognition highlights Y.E.T.I.’s role as an essential community partner dedicated to enhancing the lives and health of local youth.
