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EPA grant helps launch wetland education program in Virginia schools

Release Date: 01/28/2010
Contact Information: Roy Seneca seneca.roy@epa.gov, 215-814-5567

(PHILADELPHIA – January 28, 2010) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $15,066 grant to Sweet Briar College in Amherst County, Va. to set up a “Schools for Pools” program that educates teachers and students in central Virginia about the importance of wetlands.

“Programs like Schools for Pools are what our EPA grants are designed for: educating and engaging communities to learn how to take care of their local environments,” said Shawn M. Garvin, administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region. “Virginia has some amazing wetlands and this program will serve as a valuable learning opportunity.”

Participating schools will partner with area specialists in conducting field studies and investigations in wetland settings. Students and teachers alike will be given the opportunity to get a hands-on experience in helping to protect wetland environments.

Since 1992, EPA has provided more than $2.5 million annually to local organizations and schools nationwide including about $3.5 million in 2009. These grants have funded education programs of nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies supporting a wide range of environmental issues for citizens of all ages.

Visit http://epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html to find out more about EPA’s environmental education grants and online resources for communities, educators, and children.