INDIANA – Since its inception in 2013, the Discover the Outdoors field trip grant program has given more than 17,000 students the chance to visit an Indiana state park or reservoir.
By providing Hoosier students with hands-on learning opportunities, the program helps establish a connection with the natural world and inspires the next generation of conservation leaders.
Each trip is a chance to experience the rich natural and cultural wonders Indiana has to offer. For many students, the field trip will be their first opportunity to explore an Indiana State Park.
“Discover the Outdoors field trips give kids an opportunity to see what a wonderful diversity of natural resources Indiana has to offer,” said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship for Indiana State Parks. “Every field trip is an opportunity to spur curiosity and inspire the kids to be park users as adults.”
The Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, in partnership with Indiana State Parks, is able to fund these unique trips thanks to the generosity of donors.
By the end of the 2022-23 school year, students from 21 different schools will have experienced a day at an Indiana State Park property. From visits to Indiana Dunes State Park in the northwest corner of the state down to Falls of the Ohio State Park along the Ohio River, the field trips will showcase the array of natural diversity within Indiana.
Each trip is a chance to experience the rich natural and cultural wonders Indiana has to offer. The field trips allow educators to work closely with park staff to construct a special learning experience for the students. The grants, awarded up to $250, help fund fees and classroom supplies related to the trip. The ideas discussed support science, social studies, and other academic concepts taught in the classroom.
For many students, the field trip will be their first opportunity to explore an Indiana State Park.
Discover the Outdoors applications are accepted May 1 – June 30 each year. Any educator in a school, school district, or home school group can apply.
