September 21, 2001
K-12 educators, teachers and students under the League’s new educational grants program. As part of the League’s commitment to forest protection through education, grants are designed to aid educators and students in their studies of forest stewardship and ecology, specifically of the redwood forest. Awards were granted for proposals submitted in the five major categories of Classroom Supplies, Fieldtrips, Teacher Continuing Environmental Education, Individual or Group Student Projects, and Independent Environmental Educator Grants.
“Education is an important tool the League uses to achieve its conservation objectives. We are very pleased to support teachers’ and educators’ work in the redwood region,” said Brigit Kavanagh, the League’s Education Director.
Proposals were evaluated based on the methodology of the proposed project, the project’s relevance to the League’s mission, and the educational track record of project personnel. Ten grants were awarded ranging from $775 to $6,000. Although originally envisioned as a twice-yearly grant review, in August and January, so many exceptional proposals were received that the League committed its full year’s educational funding to the current round of grants and is currently reviewing the feasibility of second round funding as planned in January. A submission date for the next round of proposals will be available on the League’s web site in the coming months.
This year’s funded proposals include innovative projects covering a wide
range of educational objectives and methods. Grants were awarded as follows:
Del Norte County
· $5,000 to the Del Norte County Unified School District to fund a comprehensive K-6 interdisciplinary environmental education outreach program.
· $6,000 to the Redwood National and State Parks to help fund the development of an Educational Trunk targeted for junior high students in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties.
Humboldt County
· $775 to the Pacific Union Elementary School as a challenge grant to help fund a third grade field trip to Patrick’s Point State Park.
· $1,405 to the South Fork High School for materials to enhance the redwood ecology unit taught in both Life Science and Biology classes.
· $1,485 to the South Fork High School for materials to be used in a newly created Fisheries Restoration Class.
Mendocino County
· $5,000 to the Mendocino Woodlands Camp Association to fund scholarships and educational materials for its Residential Outdoor Science School program.
· $3,655 to the Mendocino Woodlands Camp Association to fund an upgrade of an interpretive trail and development of a self-guided trail brochure by Mendocino Community High School students.
· $1,000 to the Rainbow School to develop redwood and ecology curriculum for pre-school aged children.
Bay Area
· $2,500 to the Muir Woods National Monument to help fund additional
staffing for its “Into the Redwood Forest” program aimed at introducing
inner-city students to the redwood forest environment through scientific research,
field study, and artistic explorations.
Santa Cruz County
· $4,000 to the Mountain Parks Foundation to fund curriculum development
and materials for an interdisciplinary environmental education outreach program
for grades 3-6 in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara County schools.
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