Although physically near to the Palo Alto area, Hidden Villa’s 1,600 acres seem far away from the frantic pace of Silicon Valley. Nestled in the hills just two miles west of Foothill College, Hidden Villa provides a unique and vital learning center and natural oasis for Bay Area school children, families, individuals, and community groups. The working organic farm and wilderness preserve offers a myriad of hands-on programs promoting environmental awareness and humanitarian values. These include environmental education for elementary school children, summer camp, innovative workshops and presentations, provocative community forums, and educational and cultural activities for the whole family.
Founded in 1925 by Frank and Josephine Duveneck, Hidden Villa today is the largest privately-owned open space preserve in California. The Duvenecks were known for their involvement in community issues and numerous accomplishments at Hidden Villa including: establishing the first hostel on the West Coast in 1937; founding one of the first inter-racial summer camps in the country in 1945; and starting an environmental education program after the first Earth day in 1970.
Today, Hidden Villa serves nearly 30,000 “customers” through its fee-based programs, more than two-thirds of whom participate in environmental education programs and summer camp.
The Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program (HVEEP) is based on the philosophy of the Duvenecks – if we are to become thoughtful caretakers of our planet, we must provide children with the opportunities to experience the beauty of our environment first-hand and to understand the interrelatedness of all living things. The program shows children the effects of their lifestyles on the environment, as well as the connection between burgers and cows, sweaters and sheep, creek water and baths. For many children, their visit to Hidden Villa is a first-time learning experience where they taste a root they have pulled out of the ground; and discover the process of taking their leftover lunches to the compost pile, the compost to the garden, and the garden plants to the animals who eat the plants and produce wool, milk, or eggs.
Hidden Villa summer camp is much more than a traditional camp. Besides celebrating diversity, campers can also enjoy milking a cow, spinning wool from sheep, harvesting fresh organic produce from the garden, as well as the traditional camp activities of swimming, hiking, storytelling, or crafts. Camp staff participate in an intense training program, (including CPR and First Aid), not only to ensure the safety of campers but also to help campers develop confidence and experience a sense of belonging while making friends and having fun.
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