Aquatic Petting Zoo, one of the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams’ K-12 programs, allows elementary students observe native species.

WINONA LAKE — This spring marks another successful year of the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams’ K-12 programs. The annual art contest, Classroom Lake Experience, Lake Adventure Days and aquatic petting zoos served 6,132 students in 31 elementary schools throughout Kosciusko County. The programs would not be possible without the Lilly Center’s generous partners.

The 10th-annual art contest had 46 winners and runners-up. Altogether, 268 young people contributed artwork, ranging from fourth-to-12th grade and spanning 11 schools across Kosciusko County. The students’ work creatively displayed a large variety of perspectives, artistic mediums and subjects. A special thanks goes to the 2017-18 sponsors, including: Lake City Bank, Louis Dreyfus Company, The Watershed Foundation, Kay Young, MutualBank, The Papers, Inc., City of Warsaw Stormwater Utility, Clearwater Car Wash, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Medtronic, Didage Sales Company/Surgical Power, Inc.,and Zimmer Biomet.

Classroom Lake Experience helps enhance an elementary classroom’s existing schedule. At the start of the 2017-18 school year, nearly 30, 40-gallon aquariums were taken to classrooms and reception areas in elementary schools throughout the county. The tanks give elementary students the chance to observe and learn about native fish, their habitats and related topics. Generous sponsors include: Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Cargill, City of Warsaw Stormwater Utility, CTB, Dekko Foundation, Hand Family Foundation, Louis Dreyfus Company, Paragon Medical, Syracuse Lake Association, The Papers, Inc., Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Winona Lake Preservation Association, Wawasee Property Owners Association, Zimmer Biomet and Wawasee Middle School.

The aquatic petting zoo teaches elementary students about several animals, including catfish, crayfish, frogs and turtles. Using interactive stations for each animal, students observe and touch the native species. The aquatic petting zoo program is sponsored by Anderson Farms, Louis Dreyfus Company, The Papers, Inc., Clearwater Car Wash, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and Zimmer Biomet.

During the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams’ annual Lake Adventure Days, which took place in September, 2017, a record-setting 900 students from 12 schools in Kosciusko County visited a local lake, some for the very first time. The two-day field trip allowed students to do water tests, build mini-watersheds, create a water-themed craft and more. Lake Adventure Days is sponsored by DePuy Synthes, Louis Dreyfus Company, Bart’s Water Sports, The Papers, Inc., City of Warsaw Stormwater Utility, Dekko Foundation, Lake Tippecanoe Property Owners Association, Warsaw Optimist Club, Warsaw Kiwanis and Zimmer Biomet.

Want to support these programs? Contact Caitlin Yoder, education coordinator at the Lilly Center, at [email protected]. Or, visit lakes.grace.edu to get involved.