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Forestry grant boosts outdoor learning in Bryan County
Sarah Lynn Kalinowsky.
Richmond Hill Elementary School teacher Sarah Lynn Kalinowsky.

A $1,000 grant from Georgia Project Learning Tree (PLT) is helping teacher Sarah Lynn Kalinowsky launch an exciting new learning experience for second through fifth-grade students at Richmond Hill & Carver Elementary School.

Kalinowsky is transitioning from 22 years of classroom teaching to developing the school’s new outdoor education program. The “Wildcat Outdoors Initiative” is an immersive, hands-on learning environment that fosters environmental literacy, stewardship, and real-world application of academic concepts.

“The Wildcat Initiative aligns perfectly with the goals of PLT,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Education Coordinator Chelsea York. “The ‘Georgia Seedling Mini-Grant’ provides educators with the resources they need to inspire lifelong learning about environmental issues. With support from this mini-grant, Richmond Hill Elementary will have new opportunities to engage students in hands-on investigations of forests, wildlife, and natural systems while building critical thinking skills and environmental stewardship.” York said PLT’s wide-ranging curriculum tools and activities will be utilized throughout the program.

Kalinowsky said she grew up hunting and fishing and is passionate about getting students to discover the joy and value of outdoor exploration.

“I want to foster curiosity,” she said. “I want to plant a seed and help kids see the world around them.” Her husband of 20 years, Chris, is a marine biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. They have two children and enjoy outdoor activities, including diving for scallops off the Steinhatchee, Florida shore.

Project Learning Tree is a program of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a non-profit charitable organization with the mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaboration. Supported by the Georgia Forestry Commission and the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, PLT’s wide and diverse network provides professional development for educators and opportunities for adults to explore forests and green careers.

For more information about Project Learning Tree, go to www.plt.org. For more information about services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit GaTree.org.