Michele Kearns and Kelly Genova

Kearns’ and Genova’s innovative teaching idea, “Pollinator Paradise,” focuses on creating pollinator gardens along the paths in the local city parks. With the Voya grant, Kearns and Genova will seek to support their community while incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills. Students involved in the project will use an engineering design process to build a pollinator unit in Festus that will help park visitors, farmers, and the community. By designing, building and installing homes for local Indiana bats, mason bees, purple martins, hummingbirds and monarch butterflies, the students hope to revive the natural pollinators in the community.