Marc Turner, Kason Dalton, Tamara Jones, and Makesia Sumpter

The team’s innovative teaching idea, “The Dent Conservation Corps,” focuses on restoring the relationship between students and the environment within Columbia, SC. According to the team, the context for conservation will be taught through social studies classes as students study the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration and their efforts in South Carolina. Students involved in the project will use various documents and excerpts to visit CCC projects in the region. Student groups will then identify local conservation problems through guest experts and research, create a formal presentation to a panel of their plans and create an associated proposed budget to support it. This provides students with a voice to implement their proposals. With the Voya grant, the committee on the panels will choose as many proposals for successfully completing the project.