ADDISON COUNTY —Otter Creek Audubon Society is offering Environmental Education Grants to Addison County educators. Teachers of all age levels are encouraged to develop proposals for up to $900 to support the OCAS mission of encouraging a culture of conservation. Applications are due by Monday, Oct. 27. Funds will become available Jan. 1 for use during 2026.

Last year Environmental Education Grants supported outdoor learning for students in 13 schools. Funds were used to help defer such costs as field trip transportation, equipment, admission fees and outside presentations.

ROBINSON SCHOOL (STARKSBORO) 1st graders planted a pollinator garden and learned about the environmental challenges that butterflies face.
Photo by Beth Sands

In 2025, 14 such proposals were funded. For example, partnering with Master Naturalists, Bridge School’s grant paid for two bus trips to Otter Creek Gorge to compare seasonal changes there and learn about human impacts on watersheds. 

Bridport Central developed an Artist in Residence program, where artist Kate Gridley led several outdoor as well as in-school sessions in nature drawing. Renowned naturalist Susan Morse will lead onsite training in tracking, habitats and signs for Hannaford Career Center students in the Natural Regional Management course. A homeschool group had a six-session outdoor Botany unit taught by four guest leaders. Along with plant IDs, they practiced nature journaling and foraged for natural pigments. A new outdoor classroom and learning space will be available to Middlebury Union High School students soon. Design, wood milling and construction will be by Hannaford Career Center students. 

At the Quarry Hill School, preschoolers will learn to care for and enjoy the benefits of their 4 new fruiting trees. Grade 3/4 students at Salisbury Community School learned about Native American culture and perspective as they constructed a wigwam with Chief Don Stevens. Starksboro’s Robinson School now has a new butterfly garden built by 1st graders. They are taking action to help butterflies with their environmental challenges. At Willowell’s Wren’s Nest Forest Preschool, rain gear for all the children makes possible their almost fully outdoors curriculum. During an all-school field trip to Wright Park, New Haven’s Beeman Elementary students hiked the river and meadow trails to enrich their wetland and water filtration studies.

SALISBURY COMMUNITY SCHOOL’S grade 3/4 built a wigwam in their forest classroom under the direction of Chief Don Stevens. They learned about Native American culture, games, stories, perspectives and traditions.
Photo by Amy Clapp

Three classes from Mary Hogan Elementary benefitted from these OCAS grants. A preschool teacher invited a VINS naturalist to bring her live raptor outreach program entitled “Build a Bird of Prey.” Another naturalist from VINS brought other live birds to visit the first grade for a program on how raptors are adapted for survival. Finally, the 5th graders hosted their kindergarten “buddies” on a field trip to Huntington and the Birds of Vermont Museum. 

OCAS wants to support Addison County educators and looks forward to hearing what teachers need as they strive to provide their students with safe, natural world experiences. All interested elementary, middle and high school teachers are encouraged to apply for these OCAS Environmental Education Grants. Proposals that get students out into the natural world will be favored. For further information and an application please visit the OCAS website: https://wp.me/pt0Pq-2qn, or leave a message for Carol at 713-818-7033. Applications are due on Monday, Oct. 27.