Asombro Institute for Science Education
Grants Awarded
The Restoring Connections Program will engage over 800 underserved middle school students in Southern New Mexico by connecting them with the outdoors and educating them about native desert ecosystems. Through hands-on activities and a collaboration with local educators aligned to New Mexico's STEM standards, participants will enhance their science literacy, develop environmental stewardship, and inspire a lasting appreciation for the region's natural beauty. Ultimately, the program aims to foster a stronger community connection to the environment and promote potential careers in land management.
Gateway to the Desert will enhance access to outdoor recreation and education at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park in Doña Ana County, creating a more welcoming environment for visitors. By improving amenities, including a welcome kiosk, expanded parking, and new trails, the initiative aims to increase annual visitation, facilitating connections to the desert for K-12 students and the general public while promoting environmental stewardship. Ultimately, this project seeks to enrich the local community's appreciation of the natural landscape and bolster educational opportunities.
Asombro plans to expand their student field trips in response to studies that highlight the benefits of nature-specific outdoor learning. The initiative includes post-trip schoolyard activities, distribution of teacher supply kits, and additional field trips to schools in underserved regions, thereby increasing students' outdoor time and familiarizing them with nearby natural environments. The program will be perfected through a pilot test with about 600 students in Las Cruces, Gadsden, and Deming school districts in 2025 and anticipates the impact of these enhanced outdoor-learning opportunities will continuously benefit future field trip attendees.
Asombro’s will construct a new 75-seat amphitheater and outdoor classroom at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park. The project will expand outdoor education and recreation opportunities in southern New Mexico through the ADA-accessible amphitheater enabling field trips for more than 1,000 K-12 students annually, public education programs, and self-guided exploration, recreation, and learning by visitors.
1. 30-year history providing science education programs about the desert, now for more than 20,000 K-12 students per year 2. Owner of 935-acre Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park, which serves as an outdoor classroom, family event venue, and site for hikes and self-guided learning 3. The quality and effectiveness of programs have earned awards from diverse organizations such as NM School Board Association, Society for Range Management, and North American Association for Environmental Education.