Ozark Society Foundation Youth Environmental Engagement Grant
The Ozark Society Foundation (OSF) has selected the recipients of the 2020 OSF Youth Environmental Grants Program. The grants are awarded to organizations and schools that engage students in environmentalism and conservation projects. Priority was given to nonprofits who experienced an interruption to their revenue stream due to the pandemic.
In 2020, the Youth Grants Programs awarded $10,000 in seven grants to regional programs in amounts ranging from $600-$2,000. The recipients include organizations and schools from urban and rural areas in Missouri and Arkansas:
Learning with Iris, Acorn Elementary School, Mena, AR
Students will build an iris garden at the 15-acre outdoor classroom. The iris garden will be used to teach life cycles, soil testing, reproduction, monarch migration, identify pollinators, graphing, art, and technology.
Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems (GLADE) Greater Ozarks Audubon Society, Springfield, MO area
Students will attend a one-week environmental academy paired with year-round community improvement projects.
Pineville Primary School Gardens, Pineville Primary School, Anderson, MO
Students will establish garden beds, bird feeders, a butterfly garden and plant trees to enhance environmental awareness among early childhood, special education, and primary classes.
Butterfly Garden, Logan County “Old Jail” Museum, Paris, AR
Students will design, build, and maintain a butterfly garden on the grounds of the museum.
Watershed Natives, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, Springfield, Mo
Students will be involved in all aspects of growing native plants and selling and distributing them throughout the community for watershed conservation projects.
Natural Resource Career Experience, Earth’s Classroom, Rosebud, MO
Secondary students interested in a natural science career will enroll in a certification program and serve as instructors to younger students.
Water, Woods and Wildlife, Native Expeditions, Farmington, AR
Students will grow native plants in a walk-in greenhouse for restoration projects.
OSF launched the annual grant program this year, and projects have until October 2021 to complete their objectives. The 2nd Annual OSF Youth Grants will be announced at that time. The Ozark Society Foundation and the Ozark Society support and promote conservation, education and recreation activity in the Ozark-Ouachita region.