KLAS Receives $15K GrantWINONA LAKE - Kosciusko Lakes and Streams, a community water quality initiative centered at Grace College, has received a $15,000 grant to launch a series of environmental training experiences targeted primarily at local fourth grade students.
The outdoor education program will take place at Camp Crosley YMCA in North Webster.
A $10,000 grant was awarded by the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, headquartered in Warsaw.
A donor-directed grant from within the foundation funded the remaining $5,000.
KLAS will transplant approximately 400 fourth grade students from the classroom to the outdoors to learn about water quality, water stewardship and environmental biology in a fun applied learning environment. Additional programming could involve eighth or ninth grade students in more advanced scientific field experiences taught by local water and environmental experts. A third component could expose teens and mentors from the North Webster Community Center to hands-on, practical lake excursions.
"Kosciusko County has more than 10,700 acres of surface water," said Dr. Nathan Bosch, KLAS Director and Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology at Grace College. "Our goal is to train the next generation of lake users about the importance of protecting and caring for the water resources that are so vital to our community."
The learning curriculum will be created by Dr. Bosch and other KLAS staff. Grace College Teacher Education candidates will provide the actual instruction for fourth graders, allowing future teachers to gain confidence in teaching scientific and current environmental subjects.
An added benefit is that Camp Crosley staff and administrators will also participate in the environmental sessions. They can then incorporate these elements into their Outdoor Learning Center to further educate the camp's approximately 2,500 summer campers.
The Camp Crosley field day experiences will be coordinated through Warsaw Community Schools, Wawasee Community School Corporation and other private and home school educational organizations.
KLAS was established in 2007 to conduct research and education related to water quality in Kosciusko County. KLAS works collaboratively with many organizations to create strategic initiatives to improve water research, track all local water quality information, educate and mobilize lake associations and water quality organizations, improve local K-12 science education and empower the general public to practice stewardship of natural water resources.
The Kosciusko County Community Foundation's mission is to bring caring people and charitable endeavors together to make donor dreams shine for the good of the community.
In 2009, the foundation granted more than $1.8 million for charitable purposes throughout Kosciusko County.
