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School Garden Grants are Back!
Now accepting applications for the 2017-18 school year
For release: September 12, 2017
Ithaca, NY--The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Alaska® Organic Fertilizer are once again teaming up to support school gardens around the United States. BirdSleuth, the Cornell Lab's K-12 education program, is building on last year's successful School Garden Grant Program by distributing $25,000 in grants to 20 schools that create or revitalize a garden that supports local wildlife, healthy living, environmental education, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning. Grants range from $500 to $2,000 and will include BirdSleuth's popular Habitat Connections unit as well as gardening supplies from Alaska® Fertilizer.
"We’re so excited to continue supporting schools and their efforts to get kids outside for meaningful hands-on learning," says Jennifer Fee of the Cornell Lab's BirdSleuth program. "Gardens are a great place for students to participate in citizen-science projects, to conduct their own science investigations, and to develop skills and interests that can last a lifetime."
Research shows that students who participate in school gardens and spend time outside are not only happier and healthier but also score significantly higher on science achievement tests. However, many educators struggle to find the necessary funding and support to establish a school garden.
"These types of projects are especially important in urban settings where children are reluctant to work outside and get 'dirty' because they are not exposed to it," says Andrea Hernandez of the Children's Museum of Houston, a past Garden Grant recipient. "The difference it makes when these opportunities are made available...is tremendous. This exposure goes way beyond the project itself once the students start to realize how they can positively affect the environment."
The deadline for submitting grant applications is October 8, 2017 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
For more information on BirdSleuth's Garden Grant program, please visit: www.birdsleuth.org/garden-grants
Email birdsleuth@cornell.edu with any questions.
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