Local children plan with a sand display at the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams in Winona Lake.

WINONA LAKE – Teachers throughout Kosciusko County are invited to schedule a field trip at the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams during the 2019-20 school year. Programs are available for kindergarten and first grade this fall, with second and third-grade programming becoming available in the spring. All field trips meet state and Next Generation Science Standards.

“This school year, we’re hoping to inspire and empower 1,000 students,” said Sarah Baier, education program specialist at the Lilly Center. “Available days are filling up quickly! November and December are already almost full,” Baier added.

As the Lilly Center education team plans K-12 programming, it looks at current teaching standards for all subjects, from science to literature. The team then uses place-based and outdoor learning to connect kids to their local environment, and provides learning tools that teachers might not have otherwise, including the virtual aquarium and augmented reality sand tables. Several stations also involve the trails and wetland behind the Lilly Center.

As an added feature, some station customization is available. “I invite teachers to network with us ahead of time,” Baier said. “That way we can better align our programming to their learning goals and needs.” The education team will build activities or language into station lesson plans to reinforce what students are already learning in their classrooms.

To schedule a field trip, email Sarah Baier at [email protected] or call 574-372-5100, ext. 6455. More information about the Lilly Center’s programs is available at lakes.grace.edu/education.

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College conducts research, provides resources, engages and educates residents, and collaborates with local organizations to make the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County clean, healthy, safe and beautiful. For more information, visit lakes.grace.edu.