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GRANTS TO DEVELOP "WILD SCHOOL SITES" AVAILABLE THROUGH ODNR Project WILD-certified educators may apply to create outdoor
classrooms on their school grounds COLUMBUS, OH -- Ohio teachers who have successfully used
Project WILD in their classrooms can now provide students additional
hands-on learning about wildlife and habitat through grants available from
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
Ten grants of $500 each will go to schools currently
participating in Project WILD, a supplemental environmental education
curriculum for grades K-12. Project WILD uses wildlife and wildlife
management techniques to teach traditional school subjects such as math,
science and language arts. Teachers can use the new grant money for
materials, equipment and activities to develop "Wild School Sites" on their
campuses.
"A 'Wild School Site' project allows teachers to take lesson
plans outdoors, helping bring environmental education concepts to life in a
real way for students," said Jen Dennison, wildlife education coordinator
for the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "An added benefit is improvement of the
schoolyard habitat for wildlife and people."
The grants are competitive in nature and will be awarded to
applicants that best meet the Wild School Site criteria. That criteria
includes feasibility of the project, benefit to students in understanding
the needs of wildlife in Ohio, and participation of students, teachers,
staff and the community at large in the development and upkeep of the site.
Funding for the "Wild School Site" grant program comes from
state income tax check-off donations to the Wildlife Diversity Fund and fees
generated from the sale of cardinal license plates.
Interested educators should submit an application before May
31 to the ODNR Division of Wildlife, 1840 Belcher Drive, Bldg. G, Columbus,
Ohio 43224-1300. Details of the program and an application can be found on
the division's web page at ohiodnr.com .
Source: ODNR
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