ClearWater Conservancy awarded $16,632 in funding through its “Connections” program for 2,164 students from 16 area public and private schools to take part in field trips this spring to Millbrook Marsh Nature Center in State College, Centre County.

ClearWater's long-standing "Students-Communities-Streams-Connections" program pays for transportation and admission to the nature center. At Millbrook Marsh, the children will learn about their local natural environment through interactive and hands-on outdoor activities and experiments. In all, the program has sponsored 19,805 student visits since 2000.

“Trained naturalists introduce them to the wetland and the habitat. Activities include discovery walks, educational activities on the trail, experiencing the marsh hands-on by using their senses, and lots of exploration and discovery,” said Molly Hetrick, recreational supervisor at Millbrook Marsh. “All the programs are designed based on the PA State Standards for Environment and Ecology and supplement the school district’s classroom lessons.”

Elementary and middle school students and their teachers received word about their grant awards in March.

The 2015 Connections program is made possible with donations from Wal-Mart Foundation, State of the Art, Inc. Harris Township Lions Club and the many donors who attended ClearWater’s For the Love of Art & Chocolate fundraising event this year.

Spring 2015 funding recipients include:

Bellefonte Area School District--

— Bellefonte Elementary; teacher Staci Chapman; 59 kindergarten students at a cost of $613.00

— Benner Elementary; teacher Pam Vaiana; 208 fourth-grade students at a cost of $2,656.00

Bald Eagle Area School District--

— Port Matilda Elementary; teacher Shawnee Morgan; 26 first-grade students at a cost of $352.00

Penns Valley Area School District--

— Centre Hall, Penns Valley & Rebersburg; teacher Ang Homan; 93 fourth-grade students at a cost of $976.00

— Centre Hall, Penns Valley & Rebersburg; teacher Vickie Fultz; 99 first-grade students at a cost of $1,018.00

— Centre Hall, Penns Valley & Rebersburg; teacher Heather Bird; 114 second-grade students at a cost of $1,123.00

— Penn’s Valley High School; teacher Jessica Martin; 107 seventh-grade students at a cost of $1,337.00

Philipsburg Osceola Area School District--

— Phillipsburg Elementary; teacher Denise Putt, 40 second-grade students at a cost of $460.00

— Phillipsburg Elementary; teacher Kerry Whitman, 45 second-grade students at a cost of $495.00

State College Area School District--

— State College Area Elementaries; teacher Deirdre Bauer; 990 kindergarten, first and second-grade students at a cost of $3,465.00

Private Schools

— The Bellefonte Playschool; teacher Lori Proper; 33 pre-kindergarten students at a cost of $450.00.

— Cen-Clear Child Services, Inc.; teacher Amy Wible; 254 pre-kindergarten students at a cost of $2,690.00.

— Grace Lutheran Preschool and Kindergarten; teacher Anne Goodall; 8 kindergarten students at a cost of $176.00.

— Our Children’s Center Montessori; teacher Sarah Potter; 28 pre-kindergarten students at a cost of $196.00.

— State College Area Friends School; teacher Lynne Bradley; 29 pre-kindergarten students at a cost of $308.00.

— State College Area Friends School; teacher Lisa Gamble; 31 kindergarten and first-grade students at a cost of $317.00.

Millbrook Marsh Nature Center offers a variety of programs, events, and activities to the community, in addition to leading school groups through educational field trips.

For more information, visit the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center website.

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3/23/2015