Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Indiana: field trip grant program benefits more than 4,900 children

Field trip grant program benefits more than 4,900 children

Students at 67 Indiana schools this academic year will experience the outdoors thanks in part to a grant program that supports field trips to Indiana State Parks.

The Discover the Outdoors Field Trip Grant Program is for public, private, parochial, or home-school educators and is administered through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF), the supporting non-profit of the DNR.

The grants, ranging from $72-$200, fund transportation costs, program fees, and classroom supplies related to preparation or follow-up for the field trips.

An estimated 4,921 K-12 students will benefit from the grant program in 2019-20. The program expects to distribute $11,624 through 72 grants.

This is the seventh academic year that the grant program has been in effect. Through the current academic year, the program has distributed more than $41,000 in overall funding and helped more than 15,000 students visit an Indiana state park for a guided hike or talk with an interpretive naturalist.

To see students benefiting from this grant, visit youtu.be/uC4QjhsBLO8.



The fund was established in memory of Tom Huck, a long-time DNR employee who was an ardent supporter of outdoor experiences for children in parks. Financial assistance also comes periodically from the Indiana Master Naturalist Advisory Council, and its contribution this year allowed the fund to double the number of grants offered, according to Jody Kress, executive director of INRF. DNR staff also contribute to the fund through the State Employees Community Campaign.

“We appreciate the generosity of those who contribute to Indiana's youth,” Kress said. “We hope to see this program grow so we can educate more students across the state about our natural and cultural legacy.”

To donate, visit IndianaNRF.org. Indiana has 24 state parks and eight reservoirs eligible for field trip funding. Field trips to state parks engage students in learning about Indiana's fish, forest, wildlife, natural habitats and conservation. The receiving schools and where they will visit are:

School Name

City

Grade

# of students

Property

Ascension Lutheran School

Fort Wayne

3rd grade

20

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Adventure Club Homeschool Group

W. Harrison

Multi.

20

Brookville or Clifty Falls

Arrows of Grace Co-Op

Liberty

K-12

22

Whitewater/Brookville

Bainbridge Elementary

Bainbridge

2nd Grade

60

McCormick's Creek State Park

Blanche E. Fuqua Elementary

Terre Haute

1st grade

60

Lieber SRA

Bloomington High School South

Bloomington

Grades 9-12

29

Brown County State Park

Blue River Valley Elementary

New Castle

5th grade

64

Mounds State Park

Bradie Shrum Elementary

Salem

4th grade

143

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Bradie Shrum Elementary

Salem

5th grade

150

Spring Mill State Park

Brentwood Elementary School

Plainfield

4th grade

75

McCormick's Creek State Park

Brown County High School

Nashville

Grades 7-12

15

Brown County State Park

Brown County junior High School

Nashville

7th grade

140

Brown County State Park

Burris Laboratory School

Muncie

2nd Grade

22

Mounds State Park

Carlin Park Elementary

Angola

Kindergarten

50

Pokagon State Park

Central Middle School

Columbus

8th

125

Brown County State Park

Christel House Academy South

Indianapolis

3rd grade

28

McCormick's Creek State Park

Christel House Academy West

Indianapolis

7th grade

55

Turkey Run State Park

Cloverdale Elementary School

Cloverdale

2nd Grade

85

Lieber SRA

Delphi Community Middle School

Delphi

7th grade

110

Turkey Run State Park

East Noble Middle School

Kendallville

6-8th grade

30

Chain O'Lakes State Park and Indiana Dunes State Park

Edgewood Elementary School

Michigan City

Kindergarten

56

Indiana Dunes State Park

Faith Christian

Lafayette

3rd grade

40

Turkey Run State Park and Prophetstown State Park

Farmersville Elementary School

Mt. Vernon

4th and 5th grade

75

Harmonie State Park

Franklin County Middle School

Brookville

6th grade

110

Brookville- Mounds SRA

Frontier Jr./Sr. High School

Chalmers

7th and 8th grade

100

Prophetstown State Park

Gosport Elementary

Gosport

All grades

185

McCormick's Creek State Park

Grace Christian Academy

Scottsburg

Grades 3-5

30

Spring Mill State Park*

Greencastle High School

Greencastle

Grades 6-12

30

McCormick's Creek State Park

Greencastle Middle School

Greencastle

7th grade

150

Turkey Run State Park

Hamilton Heights Elementary School

Arcadia

4th grade

180

Mounds State Park

Haverhill Elementary School

Fort Wayne

K

80

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Highland Park Elementary

Bloomington

1st Grade

45

McCormick's Creek State Park

Highland Park Elementary

Bloomington

1st Grade

45

McCormick's Creek State Park

Horace Mann Elementary

Huntington

5th grade

70

Salamonie

Kennedy Academy

South Bend

5th grade

135

Potato Creek State Park

L.C. Schmitt Elementary

Columbus

5th grade

100

Brown County State Park

Lancaster Central Elementary School

Bluffton

Kindergarten

100

Ouabache State Park

Liberty Elementary School

Liberty

2nd Grade

54

Whitewater Memorial State Park

Liberty Elementary School

Hobart

4th grade

90

Indiana Dunes State Park

Little Turtle Elementary

Columbia City

2nd Grade

80

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Metro North Elementary

Wabash

Kindergarten

70

Salamonie

New Britton Elementary

Fishers

2nd Grade

28

Mounds State Park

North Daviess Elementary

Elnora

3rd grade

95

McCormick's Creek State Park

North Harrison Elementary School

Ramsey

3rd grade

90

Patoka Lake

North Judson-San Pierre Elementary

North Judson

3rd grade

87

Indiana Dunes State Park

Northridge Middle School

Crawfordsville

6th grade

143

Turkey Run State Park

Orleans Elementary School

Orleans

5th grade

24

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Orleans Elementary School

Orleans

5th grade

24

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Orleans Elementary School

Orleans

5th grade

24

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School

New Albany

2nd Grade

26

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Pioneer Elementary

Royal Center

4th grade

75

Prophetstown State Park

Prairie View Elementary

Goshen

4th

75

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Richmond High School

Richmond

Grades 10-12

45

McCormick's Creek State Park

Rock Creek Community Academy

Sellersburg

Kindergarten

44

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Saint Mary Catholic Community School

Crown Point

7th grade

56

Indiana Dunes State Park

Sarah Scott Middle School

Terre Haute

6th grade

170

Shakamak State Park

Shakamak Jr.-Sr. High School

Jasonville

Multi.

15

McCormick's Creek State Park

Shawswick Elementary School

Bedford

6th-8th grade

25

Spring Mill State Park

Shoals Elementary School

Shoals

1st Grade

60

Spring Mill State Park

Shortridge High School

Indianapolis

11th grade

80

Indiana Dunes State Park

South Decatur Elementary

Greensburg

2nd Grade

65

Brown County State Park

South Decatur Elementary

Greensburg

4th grade

70

Versailles State Park

Southern Wells Elementary

Poneto

6th grade

70

McCormick's Creek State Park

Southwood High School

Wabash

AP Science

20

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Spencer Elementary

Spencer

5th grade

100

McCormick's Creek State Park

St. Mary's School

Aurora

7th-8th grade

19

Versailles State Park

Thomas Miller Elementary School

Lafayette

3rd grade

75

Prophetstown State Park

Turkey Run Elementary

Marshall

3rd grade

40

Turkey Run State Park

Unionville Elementary School

Unionville

5th grade

36

McCormick's Creek State Park

Western Wayne Elementary School

Cambridge City

2nd Grade

65

Whitewater Memorial State Park

West Central Elementary School

Francesville

2nd Grade

40

Tippecanoe State Park

Woodland Christian School

Goshen

Grades 3-4

22

Pokagon State Park

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

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Media contact: Jody Kress, executive director, Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, 317-234-5447,jkress@dnr.IN.gov.