Our education program is multifaceted and takes place in the classroom, on the land, and in partnership with many organizations that are helping to lead the way in natural resource conservation education. We deliver programming, knowledge, and leadership skills to students in South Texas, including underserved communities, benefiting the region now and in the future.
East Foundation partners with Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) to bring wildlife and natural resources conservation presentations into the classroom through the Wildlife by Design program. Our educators visit classrooms with interactive, Science TEKS-aligned lessons and activities from TWA’s Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.) programs. These interactive lessons are a means of promoting critical thinking skills while encouraging students to connect with the natural world. East Foundation’s partnership with TWA allows these programs to reach counties in South Texas where they were previously unavailable.
We offer five unique Wildlife by Design programs; Birds of a Feather, Investigating Life Cycles, Skins and Skulls, Stewarding Soil, and Where Is Our Water?
Each program is customizable for kindergarten through eighth grade to meet the necessary science rigor and state standards and can be correlated with specific thematic units. Programs are designed for up to 45 students and can be given up to six times on each presentation date. Schools may schedule up to two Wildlife by Design presentations per school year. Program reservations are on a semester-by-semester basis and are first come, first served.
For more information about Wildlife by Design or to schedule a presentation, contact our educators below or visit the Texas Wildlife Association website.
Schools located in Cameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Starr, and Willacy Counties, contact Elisa Velador at evelador@eastfoundation.net.
Schools located in Brooks, Dimmit, Duval, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Webb, and Zapata Counties contact Masi Mejia at mmejia@eastfoundation.net.
