Educational Grants

Educational Mini-Grant

The Seekonk Land Conservation Trust has been supporting environmental education in Seekonk since 1987. That year, former SLCT president Gerie Zaretsky arranged the first elementary school field trip with 300 students to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Caratunk Refuge on Brown Avenue. Shortly after that, the annual Educational Mini-Grant Program was established by SLCT and continues to flourish today.

The program awards annual grants of up to $500 each to Seekonk Public School teachers to fund environmental education programs for their students. By awarding these grants, the Trust hopes to foster an appreciation for nature and environmental science in our young community members. Since the program's inception, over 100 grants have been awarded, providing thousands of students with educational experiences.

Applications are open on a running basis from September through June. Click below to apply, and contact us if you have any questions.

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kids hold up a sign that says "Thank You Seekonk Land Trust Grant"

“SLCT has been such an amazing supporter of our schools and our children. It is so important that our young community members (soon to be leaders!) appreciate and respect our natural world.”

Jessica Downing, Teacher at Seekonk Public Schools

  • Dr. Barbara Shurtleff, Hurley Middle School, $250
    For the school’s Green Team, a student environmental group promoting sustainable initiatives. The group planned to target recycling and energy conservation strategies in the school.

    Josh Benevides, Aitken Elementary 5th Grade, $288
    Monarch habitat restoration initiative by the Green Team. The group planned to educate the student community about dwindling monarch butterfly populations and pesticides, and planned to purchase and distribute native milkweed seeds and sand packets for planting. They also planted a pollinator garden at Aitken School.

    Lisa Hopkins, Donna Bahry, Lori Prazeres, Morgan Zonfrillo, Martin Elementary 3rd Grade, $800*
    Naturalist-led nature hike at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Caratunk Wildlife Refuge. The students explored the biodiversity and native plants and animals of Seekonk, and then produced brochures about the town including the environmental information from their Caratunk hike.
    *$500 for the program and an additional $300 for transportation costs

    Kathleen Hibbert, Seekonk Public Library Director, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center and resources for programs supporting conservation and the environment, including the annual nature photography contest.

  • Lisa Hopkins, Martin Elementary, $650*
    Caratunk nature hike and native plant and animal exploration with the Audubon Society of RI
    *Exception granted to exceed $500 limit to cover transportation for all 65 students

    Audrey Lamar, Library Media Specialist at Aitken Elementary, $360
    Supplies for Aitken Library story walk to engage children in reading and the outdoors. Students read When the Sky Is Like Lace by Barbara Cooney and The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever! by Rebecca Rule.

    Kathleen Hibbert, Seekonk Public Library Director, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center and resources for programs supporting conservation and the environment, like the yearly nature photography contest

    Angela Cunard, Seekonk High School, $130
    Copies of Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore by Elizabeth Rush for the AP Biology Book Club. The book explores how rising sea levels due to climate change are impacting human communities in America. Students may go on a field trip to The Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol, RI, where the book’s first chapter is set.

  • Ann Marie Braganca, Seekonk Elementary Schools Virtual Learning Teacher, $150
    Atlantic White Shark Conservancy virtual program on white sharks and their environment

    Michel Graf, Seekonk Elementary Schools Virtual Learning Teacher, $351
    Butterfly Metamorphosis Kits from the Butterfly Place in Westford, MA for at-home study. Students produced a video report for the Land Trust and the butterflies were released at Caratunk.

    Angela Cunard, Seekonk High School
    Ongoing study of water quality at Burr’s Pond and Runnins River by AP Biology students

    Kate Hibbert, Seekonk Public Library Director, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center and programs including the Nature Photo Contest

  • Jennifer Boudreau, Aitken Elementary, $345
    Introduction to Marine Animals program, an in-school hands-on presentation with emphasis on habitats and conservation led by Biomes Marine Biology Center in North Kingstown, RI

    Corinne Carvalho, Martin Elementary, $410
    Save the Bay classroom program on climate change and purchase of seven grade-appropriate library books on climate change

    Tracy Churchill, Martin Elementary, $390
    Buttonwoods Zoo Zoomobile visit for kindergarten and pre-K students on animals and their habitats

    Angela Cunard, Seekonk High School, $638
    Ongoing study of water quality at Burr’s Pond and Runnins River by AP Biology students. Instruments purchased for research include a dissolved oxygen probe and two LabQuest Minis.

    Seekonk Public Library, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center

  • Tracy Churchill and kindergarten teachers, Martin Elementary, $405
    In-school Introduction to Marine Mammals program led by Biome Marine Biology Center (North Kingstown, RI)

    Jessica Downing, Hurley Middle School, $452
    Forest ecosystems and owl pellet dissection led by the Audubon Society of RI

    Lisa Hopkins, Martin Elementary, $500
    Caratunk nature hike and native plant and animal exploration with the Audubon Society of RI

    Jennifer Boudreau, Aitken Elementary, $345
    In-school Introduction to Marine Mammals program led by Biome Marine Biology Center (North Kingstown, RI)

    Courtney Sansoucy, Aitken Elementary, $500
    Fifth-grade composting program

    Angela Cunard, David Bonneau, Matthew Wills, Seekonk High School, $1000
    Ongoing study of water quality at Burr’s Pond and Runnins River by AP Biology and Biology II students

    Seekonk Public Library, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center

  • Tracy Churchill, Martin Elementary, $375
    Kindergarten program led by Biome Marine Biology Center (North Kingstown, RI)

    Tracey Archambault, Martin Elementary, $340
    Kindergarten animal habitats program at the Roger Williams Zoo

    Jessica Downing, Hurley Middle School, $360
    Supplies for community garden continuum

    Lisa Hopkins, Martin Elementary, $500
    Caratunk nature hike and native plant and animal exploration with the Audubon Society of RI

    Angela Cunard, David Bonneau, Matt Wills, Seekonk High School, $600
    Ongoing study of water quality at Burr’s Pond and Runnins River by AP Biology and Biology II students

    Seekonk Public Library, $1200
    Annual grant for the Environmental Resource Center

Past Mini-Grant Awards

Seekonk Public Library Grant

The Land Trust’s commitment to environmental education continued in 1993 when the Trust provided a grant to the Seekonk Public Library for the establishment of the Environmental Resource Center (ERC) in memory of trust founder, Mary Wilson. The ERC offers a wide variety of materials and programs that explore a broad range of topics including environmental sciences, ecology, and sustainable living. The Land Trust continues to provide an annual grant to the ERC, which supports programs like the Nature Photo Contest that expand environmental awareness in town.