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Goal

The goal of this project is to improve student achievement in Introduction to Natural Resources 2 and AP Environmental Science through hands-on instruction in sustainable forestry management and resource conservation. Funding will provide a woodchipper and twine for an existing pine straw baler, allowing students to transform forest by-products into useful materials for school horticulture and landscaping projects.

Students will connect classroom learning to real-world applications by maintaining forested areas, processing fallen trees and branches, harvesting pine straw, and learning the value of renewable natural resources. AP Environmental Science students will benefit from observing sustainable land management practices and exploring connections between agriculture, ecosystems, and environmental stewardship.

This project will serve 24 students enrolled in Introduction to Natural Resources 2 and 48 students enrolled in AP Environmental Science, for a total of 72 students. These are the first classes offered in these courses, making it especially important to establish strong learning opportunities and measurable student achievement outcomes.

The agriculture program’s growth demonstrates the value of expanding career and technical education. In its first year, one Agritechnology class earned 10 industry certifications. During the 2025–26 school year, the program offered 10 classes across Agritechnology and Aquaculture and students earned 232 industry certifications. In 2026–27, the program has expanded to 11 classes across three pathways: Agritechnology, Aquaculture, and Natural Resources. This grant supports the new Natural Resources pathway by providing equipment and hands-on experiences that complement classroom instruction and career preparation.

A primary objective is to strengthen students’ proficiency in Natural Resources concepts and prepare agriculture students to earn industry certifications by the end of the 2026–27 school year. Students entering Introduction to Natural Resources 2 have already earned at least one industry certification in their earlier agriculture coursework. The goal for this project is for at least 50% of the 24 students enrolled in Natural Resources 2 (12 students) to earn a Natural Resources industry certification.

For AP Environmental Science, the goal is for at least 69% of enrolled students (34 of 48 students) to earn a score of 3 or higher on the AP exam, qualifying them for potential college credit based on the policies of the receiving college or university. These outcomes support student achievement, career readiness, and school improvement efforts because industry certification attainment contributes directly to the school’s overall grade, while AP exam success can provide students with an opportunity to earn college credit.

Project success will be measured through industry certification results, AP exam scores, classroom assessments, documented student participation, and completed forestry and horticulture projects. By combining practical experience with academic instruction, this initiative will strengthen student proficiency while supporting schoolwide achievement.
 

 

Category

CTE Focused -  

 

What will be done with my students

During the 2026–27 school year, students enrolled in Introduction to Natural Resources 2 will participate in maintaining and managing the forested areas surrounding the school. Students will identify opportunities to use forestry by-products and apply sustainable management practices through supervised, hands-on activities.

The requested woodchipper will be used to process fallen trees, limbs, and branches into wood chips for appropriate horticulture, landscaping, garden pathways, and other agricultural applications. Twine will be purchased for the existing pine straw baler so students can collect and bale pine straw from managed forest areas. Through these activities, students will develop an understanding of equipment operation and safety, forest maintenance, renewable resources, and the practical value of forestry by-products.

AP Environmental Science students will participate in related learning activities that connect these practices to environmental science concepts, including resource conservation, ecosystem management, waste reduction, sustainable land use, and the responsible use of natural resources. Seeing forestry management in practice will help students connect concepts learned in the classroom to real-world environmental challenges and solutions.

Project Timeline
Fall 2026: Introduce project goals, review equipment safety, identify forest maintenance needs, and connect hands-on activities to Natural Resources and environmental science concepts.

Winter 2027: Use the woodchipper and pine straw baler during supervised forestry maintenance activities. Collect and repurpose wood chips and pine straw for appropriate horticulture and landscaping projects.

Spring 2027: 1) Continue hands-on activities, reinforce course competencies, assess student learning, and provide targeted instruction and practice for Natural Resources industry certification assessments and the AP Environmental Science exam. 2) Administer certification assessments as scheduled, complete AP exam preparation, evaluate student learning gains, and document project outcomes. The goal is for at least 12 of the 24 Natural Resources 2 students to earn an industry certification and at least 34 of the 48 AP Environmental Science students to earn a score of 3 or higher on the AP exam.

These activities will provide authentic learning experiences throughout the school year while supporting industry certification preparation, academic achievement, and practical environmental stewardship.
 

 

Benefits to my Students

Students need opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in authentic settings where they can develop technical skills, demonstrate proficiency, and understand the real-world value of their education. Without the requested woodchipper and twine for the existing pine straw baler, students have limited opportunities to efficiently process forestry by-products and fully participate in equipment-based activities that connect forest management with other agricultural applications.

This project will address that need by allowing students to participate in the process of managing forest resources, from maintaining wooded areas to converting fallen trees, branches, and pine straw into useful materials. Students will see how responsible forestry practices can reduce waste, conserve resources, and support horticulture and landscaping projects. These activities will also help students understand how sustainable resource management benefits both the environment and the school.

AP Environmental Science students will gain opportunities to connect scientific concepts to observable environmental management practices. By examining the use of wood chips and pine straw as useful by-products rather than waste, students can better understand resource conservation, sustainable land use, and the relationship between human activities and environmental systems. This real-world application will complement their traditional classroom learning and help make complex scientific concepts more meaningful.

Agriculture students will strengthen the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to earn industry certifications in Natural Resources. The project will support a goal of at least 12 students earning a certification during the 2026–27 school year. These credentials provide evidence of career readiness and contribute directly to the school’s overall grade. Similarly, AP Environmental Science students will work toward a target of at least 34 students earning a score of 3 or higher on the AP exam, potentially earning college credit while demonstrating academic proficiency.

Project Measurement and Evaluation
• Student learning gains: Use pre- and post-instruction assessments to measure growth in forestry, resource conservation, equipment safety, and natural resource management.
• Industry certifications: Track the number and percentage of Natural Resources 2 students earning industry certifications, with a target of at least 12 out of 24 students.
• AP exam achievement: Track AP Environmental Science exam results, with a target of at least 34 out of 48 students earning a score of 3 or higher.
• Applied learning: Maintain records of student participation in forest maintenance, wood chipping, pine straw baling, and material-reuse activities.
• Cross-curricular learning: Use assignments, class discussions, and assessments to evaluate students’ understanding of sustainable resource management and the connections between agriculture and environmental science.
• Practical resource use: Document the wood chips and pine straw produced and reused in school horticulture and landscaping projects.

Assessment results, certification records, AP exam results, student work, and project documentation will be reviewed at the end of the school year to determine whether students improved their knowledge, developed practical skills, and achieved the intended outcomes. This project will support career readiness, college opportunities, environmental stewardship, and measurable student achievement.
 

 

Budget Narrative

The requested $2,000 will fund the purchase of a woodchipper, twine for an existing pine straw baler, and an allowance for shipping, handling, and potential price adjustments. These items will support hands-on Natural Resources instruction throughout the 2026–27 school year.

The woodchipper will allow students to process fallen trees, limbs, and branches from school forest maintenance activities into useful wood chips for appropriate horticulture, landscaping, garden pathways, and other agricultural applications. Twine will enable students to operate the existing pine straw baler, providing practical experience in collecting, baling, and preparing pine straw as a valuable forestry by-product.

These resources will support sustainable forest management, resource conservation, and connections between Natural Resources and AP Environmental Science. Students will gain experience with agricultural equipment, understand the practical applications of forestry by-products, and strengthen the technical knowledge needed to earn industry certifications in Natural Resources. AP Environmental Science students will also benefit from seeing environmental science concepts applied to actual land management practices.

The requested materials will provide lasting educational value by supporting repeated hands-on learning opportunities throughout the school year. The project will be evaluated through student learning assessments, certification attainment, AP exam results, participation records, and documentation of forestry by-products reused in school projects. This investment will support student proficiency, career readiness, college opportunities, environmental stewardship, and schoolwide achievement.
 

 

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