Dunes Learning Center recently honored Union Township schools for their longstanding commitment to environmental education excellence.
“The Green Apple Award is presented during our annual fundraising gala, A Dunes Affair,” Executive Director Heather Hahn Sullivan says. “This year we chose to honor the incredible teamwork of 5th grade teachers in two elementary schools, John Simatovich and Union Center, who bring kids to Dunes Learning Center each year to immerse them in nature as they learn about local history and the environment.”
Just a little more than a week after Tyler Zaharias of John Simatovich Elementary accepted the Green Apple Award on behalf of Union Township Schools, she was back on campus with a group of 5th graders for their 3-day, 2-night Frog in the Bog learning adventure. Her co-recipient Samantha Allen was scheduled to be on campus with her students the following month.
Contributions by supporters who attended A Dunes Affair provide scholarship funds that make the experiences possible for more than half of the students who participate in an environmental education program on Dunes Learning Center’s campus in Indiana Dunes National Park.
“We want to make sure every single student can go to camp,” Zaharias says. “We rely on those scholarships!”
The group from Simatovich Elementary enjoyed near-perfect weather as they traveled back in time to explore Bailly Homestead with a French fur trader, Chellberg Farm with a Swedish farmer, and the Little Calumet River Trail with a Land Planner and National Park Ranger.
The next day, they hiked Cowles Bog to conduct ecosystem investigations with a mid-day break at the highest point for lunch while enjoying the stunning views of Lake Michigan and the beach below. On their final day, the students brought everything together during skits that weighed multiple sides of current environmental issues.
In between, they enjoyed family-style meals, a night hike that tested not only their senses but also their confidence, free time in our Nature Play Zone, and of course a campfire complete with songs and s’mores.
“It’s no wonder they continue to talk about all the great memories from camp well into high school,” Zaharias adds. “This trip is always incredible and gives the kids so much that they can’t always explain with words but that you can see in their actions!”
Like Simatovich and Union Center, up to 75 groups will have a similar Outdoor School experience this school year before Dunes Learning Center transitions to Summer Camp.
“Groups receive scholarship support based on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, the federal indicator of low income,” Sullivan explains. “Last year, the average eligibility for schools receiving scholarship support was 74% – far above the Indiana average of 47%.”
In a typical year, Dunes Learning Center awards more than $300,000 in scholarships for Outdoor School programs and an additional $100,000 in scholarships for Summer Camp, thanks to generous support from corporate and individual donors as well as program grants. Scholarships support students from Chesterton, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hobart/River Forest, Lake Station, LaPorte, Merrillville, Michigan City, Portage/South Haven, Porter, Valparaiso, and Whiting.
About Dunes Learning Center
Dunes Learning Center, the nonprofit education partner of Indiana Dunes National Park, inspires lasting curiosity and stewardship with nature. Since 1998, more than 200,000 students from diverse communities and backgrounds have joined us outdoors to discover, learn, explore, and reflect on the science and wonder of nature. Immersive onsite programming with lodging is available year round and is accredited by the American Camp Association. Outreach programming brings STEM-strong environmental education to sites throughout Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties in Northwest Indiana.