The School Resource Fund

While over 10,000 school children participated in guided discovery tours at Cox Arboretum last year, many disadvantaged students continue to miss out on the hands-on learning that takes place on our grounds due to financial constraints at their schools.  While school tours are free, schools do need to cover the cost of transporting students.  In a recent teacher focus group, teachers in districts serving at-risk youth stated that many of their students have never seen some of the plants, flowers, and wildlife they are reading about and studying in science, which makes it particularly difficult to grasp concepts in the abstract.  By experiencing science concepts first hand, students can build on classroom knowledge. All teachers are looking for ways to translate “book learning” into real life experiences and to engage students in interactive learning to help them understand and retain the knowledge they need to master the Ohio Academic Content Standards.

To address these needs, the James M. Cox Jr. Arboretum Foundation has established the School Resource Fund with the objective of increasing the use of the Arboretum as a teaching venue by teachers of at-risk students – for horticulture and the natural sciences, as well as math, literature, art and geography.  The fund will allow teachers who serve these at-risk students, especially those from the City of Dayton and other urban areas.

School Resource Fund:

• Cover the cost of stipends that must be paid to substitute teachers while the classroom teachers attend the workshop or provide a stipend to encourage their participation in the summer workshop.
• Cover the cost of transporting students and teachers from their school to the Arboretum, should the need exist.
• Cover costs of materials used in hands-on activities (water testing, dissecting, art projects, fiction and non-fiction science books)
  

This fall 10,000 bulbs were planted in the front zone of the Arboretum by students from the City of Dayton Schools with help from staff and volunteers as part of the School Resource program. Many students will return this Spring to view the results of their hard work!