Illinois EPA Awards Lake Education Assistance Program Grants

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett has announced 14 Lake Education Assistance Program grant awards to schools and not-for-profit organizations. The funds will be used to promote environmental education related to Illinois lakes and lake watershed areas and will benefit approximately 2,400 students.

The Lake Education Assistance Program (LEAP) is an educational initiative offered by the Illinois EPA. The program is funded through Partners for Conservation, a comprehensive multi-year environmental protection program that was signed into law in 1995. LEAP funds are available to all public or private schools and for grades kindergarten through graduate school. Funds are also available to not-for-profit organizations, such as lake associations, scouting groups, parks and communities.

“Our youth and our environment represent the future, and these grants will instill Illinois’ young people with knowledge, respect and admiration for our natural resources,” Governor Pat Quinn said.

“Partnering with schools and educational groups to learn about how we can all do our part in maintaining the health of Illinois’ 3,000 inland lakes is important to meeting our water quality goals,” said Director Lisa Bonnett. “Our LEAP grant recipients do a great job at implementing environmental education in a fun and interactive manner.”

The Illinois EPA provides funding for lake and lake watershed projects and activities each fiscal year. Projects funded this year include field trips to Cache Watershed, Argyle Lake, Schuyler County Ponds, Prairie Lands Environmental Summit, Rochester Community Pond and Piasa Watershed. In addition to field trips, many of the grant recipients will use the funding to purchase scientific equipment and educational materials.

Grant recipients for the September 30 application deadline include:

Bunker Hill High School District #8, Macoupin County – $499.51
Cypress Elementary School, Union County – $500.00
Friends of Argyle Lake State Park, McDonough County – $499.25
Heartland Community College, McLean County – $498.99
Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Cook County – $500.00   
Lake County Forest Preserve, Lake County – $500.00
LaMoine River Ecosystem Partnership, Pike County – $500.00
Lewis and Clark Community College, Madison County – $499.98
Maine West High School, Cook County – $500.00
Monticello Middle School, Champaign County – $492.50
Peace of Earth Environmental Learning Center, Schuyler County – $500.00
Prairie Hills Resource Conservation and Development, McDonough County – $480.00
Rochester High School Science Classes, Sangamon County – $500.00
St. Ambrose Catholic School, Madison County – $500.00

For additional information on the Lake Education Assistance Program, please visit the Illinois EPA website at www.epa.state.il.us/conservation/leap