about conservation opportunities, inc. |
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Mission: The mission of Conservation Opportunities is to provide conservation-based service-learning opportunities to Moscow High School students who are active members of the Environmental Club, and to provide financial support to enable participation.
Background: Since 1996, the Moscow High School Environmental Club has offered annual Sea Turtle Conservation Trips to its members. The destination is Playa Escobilla, Mexico, one of the most important sea turtle nesting beaches in the world. On the trips, MHS students work side-by-side with local biologists and volunteers. They collect sea turtle hatchlings to keep them safe from predators and poachers, census nesting sea turtles, and assist researchers in gathering data on climate change. A total of 209 students have participated in 23 trips to date. Most describe their experiences as life-changing. The trip costs approximately $2000/student (including airfare); fundraisers have kept out-of-pocket expenses to $1000/student, and full-scholarships are provided to students in need. For 10 years, club members have also taken part in service-learning activities in Yellowstone National Park, led by Ecology Project International (EPI), including removing barbed wire to facilitate pronghorn migration, radio-tracking mule deer, and monitoring bison habitat. The cost is $400/student for the Summer Ecology Program and $500/student for the Winter Ecology Program. The Environmental Club has thus far been able to provide some scholarships to students in need, but now the District has made it clear that activities in out-of-state destinations cannot be paid for by the club. EPI programs are very popular with the students. Up to 25 students/year have participated. Mandatory participation in Moscow community service and fundraising activities is a cornerstone of the Environmental Club. Students who wish to participate in the Turtle Trip are required to perform 100 hours of community service, and they attest that their hard work prior to the trip contributes enormously to their trip satisfaction. They also have to complete required readings on sea turtle biology and conservation, which makes them among the most educated volunteers the researchers have ever encountered! In 2019, the Moscow School District Board of Trustees decided that the District could no longer sponsor international travel, for reasons of liability. In order to make it possible for Moscow High School students to benefit from a Turtle Trip experience, the non-profit Conservation Opportunities (CO) was founded. Conservation Opportunities was established to enable these international service-learning trips to continue, specifically to:
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Sea Turtle Conservation trip |
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The purpose of the Sea Turtle Conservation Service Learning Project is to provide students with the opportunity to carry out scientific research while assisting Mexican biologists in the conservation of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Ecology project internationalEPI is a nonprofit, educational organization that offers service-learning trips, including winter and summer ecology courses in Yellowstone National Park. Conservation Opportunities, Inc. provides scholarships to active members of the Environmental Club to participate in EPI trips. Visit ecologyproject.org.
Phillips farmStudents participate in many habitat improvement projects at the Phillips Farm County Park, located 5 miles north of Moscow on Highway 95. Projects include wetlands restoration, an heirloom orchard, and monitoring of birds and amphibians. Visit friendsofphillipsfarm.weebly.com.
fundraisingFundraisers are a cooperative effort between Conservation Opportunities and the Moscow High School Environmental Club. These include: the Renaissance Fair Nessie Ear booth, fun runs, yard work, and the Alternative Giving Market of the Palouse.
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