Animas Public Schools

Animas Public Schools will utilize this grant to enhance programming, aiming to cultivate global-minded active citizens who demonstrate empathy and awareness of their actions' impact. Through environmental and climate education linked to current events and experiential learning from funded trips, students will develop a deeper understanding of these critical issues, benefiting both themselves and the local community.

The Animas Outdoor Education Program plans to expose all students to New Mexico's natural wonders and historical monuments by extending environmental education to the entire student body and fostering place-based learning, environmental literacy, and leadership skills. Through collaborations with environmental organizations, hosting experts on-campus, and excursions to other geographical attractions, the program strives to broaden students' understanding and appreciation of the local environment and its preservation. Expected outcomes include broadening their knowledge of New Mexico's unique ecosystems, enhancing their environmental awareness, and boosting school performance and emotional well-being, with secondary impacts such as increasing interest in school among middle and high school students and reducing disciplinary referrals and absenteeism. The program also foresees extending its educational reach to the local agricultural community, offering children and adults new perspectives on sustainability and conservation in the face of changing climatic conditions.

The Outdoor Equity Fund (OEF) proposed by APSD offers immersive educational experiences for middle and high school students in NM, focusing on two multi-day field trips to encourage self-awareness, environmental literacy, and cultural access. The intended outcomes include reducing socio-economic and geographic inequalities, cultivating character values through adventurous activities, and promoting a deeper understanding of environmental interdependencies, local history, and potential careers. By linking classroom instruction with real-world experiences, the program strives to boost academic engagement, increase student attendance, and expose agricultural families to a broader environmental context.