More than $99,600 awarded to Illinois student field trips to state parks, natural areas

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (KFVS) - Some schools in Southern Illinois will be able to visit state parks and natural areas thanks to a grant program.

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, more than 7,000 students will visit Illinois state parks, natural areas, museums and other natural resources sites this year to learn about nature and conservation thanks to grant funding through the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program.

The IDNR announced more than $99,600 in funding was awarded for 113 student field trip grants. Grant recipients represent 32 counties in the state.

The IDNR says grants are made possible by private donations from the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation of Skokie and the D.F. and M.T. Grohne Family Foundation of Wilmington. The donations and funding for the grants are coordinated by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

Grant recipients are located throughout Illinois and represent students from pre-kindergarten through high school.

The competitive grant program allows Illinois teachers to apply for funds to take students on field trips to study Illinois’ natural resources. Learning activities must directly relate to the school’s curriculum.

The annual application deadline is January 31. The grant application form is available online. Funding administered by ICF covers expenses such as transportation costs and substitute teachers.

In the Heartland, the following schools received part of the grant:

Franklin County:
- Christopher High School in Christopher received $400 for 11th and 12th grades to go to the Cache River State Natural Area in Belknap
Jackson County:
- Carruthers Elementary School in Murphysboro received $337.50 for fourth grade to go to Lake Murphysboro State Park in Murphysboro
- Murphysboro Middle School in Murphysboro received $500 for sixth grade to go to Lower Cache River Access in Ullin
Johnson County:
- New Simpson Hill School #32 in Tunnel Hill received $275 for eighth grade to go to Barkhausen-Cache River Wetland Center in Ullin
Massac County:
- Jefferson Elementary School in Metropolis received $300 for fourth through sixth grades to go to Dixon Springs Ag Center in Simpson
Saline County:
- East Side Intermediate in Harrisburg received $1,000 for fourth grade to go to Touch of Nature in Makanda
Union County:
- Cobden High School in Cobden received $1,600 for 10th grade to go to Cache River Wetlands Area in Belknap
- County of Union School District #43 in Jonesboro received $687.27 for Kindergarten to go to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Marion
Williamson County:
- Carterville Intermediate School in Carterville received $4,580 for fifth grade to go to Cache River State Natural Area in Ullin
- Carterville Junior High School in Carterville received $2,500 for eighth grade to go to Giant City State Park in Devil’s Kitchen Lake, and Little Grassy Lake in Makanda