• Gladys Porter Zoo, $15,000, for “Students Teaching Students: Champions of the Blue”, which partners middle and high school youth with achievement-oriented university students to develop the groundwork for stewardship of the oceans. This program will focus on reaching at-risk, minority teens in Brownsville, which is only 25 miles from the Gulf of Mexico but where many youth know little about its life or threats, and how they can take positive action in their communities.• The Florida Aquarium, $9,975, for “Instilling a Lifelong Conservation Ethic in Middle School Students” which will track classroom outcomes as a result of professional development workshops for middle school teachers who then mentor their students to lead conservation projects at their school.

• Fresno Chaffee Zoo, $15,000, for “Teen LEADERS (Lead by Educating with Activities and Demonstrations on the Environment, Resources and Sciences)”. Teen LEADERS will be trained in issues related to ocean and watershed pollution, age-appropriate conservation and stewardship actions and how to successfully facilitate water-focused activities with zoo guests. Training curriculum and activities are designed to 1) inspire first-hand behavior change, 2) create a “ripple effect” of those changes on friends, family and zoo guests.

• Lincoln Park Zoo, $15,000, for “Teen-Driven Climate Change Campaigns at Lincoln Park Zoo and Chicago Botanic Garden” to help LPZ and CBG launch youth-driven campaigns to carry climate change messages to a Midwest audience.

• New England Aquarium, $15,000, for “Live Blue Ambassadors: Environmental Service Learning for Teens.” This service learning program will inspire and steer teens toward becoming “future ocean protectors” by 1) bringing teens from different backgrounds together to achieve common goals; 2) ensuring teens understand the science behind each project; 3) offering hands-on conservation experience; and 4) encouraging participants to promote environmental protection among their friends, families and communities.

For our next funding cycle of the Small Grants Program, we will send out an RFP in June, with proposals due by September 1, 2012.