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Pelican Island Audubon Society <br />Audubon Advocates Afterschool Program and Adventure Camps <br />Grant amount: $25,000 <br />Funds used: $25,000 <br />Total children served: 215 <br />Total parents served: 192 <br />Cost per child: $116.28 <br />Focus Area: Quality Remediation and Enrichment Program <br />Goal #1 and outcomes: <br />A. Students grades 6-12 (ages 10-17) were held during Winter, Spring, and Summer camps <br />with a new afterschool Green Team at VBHS that began in August. Whereas, PIAS will be <br />working with the students to design, implement, and install a natural area with the <br />Senior students. The court yard is for Seniors only and they have an interest in making it <br />a natural sanctuary for learning, relaxing, and socializing. <br />B. Winter camp was held for six days for students from the Homeless Coalition Foundation <br />of IRC. We accommodated 8 students (due to COVID restrictions). The students had an <br />extensive program in outdoor nature art therapy, for overall mental health and well- <br />being. The students worked on building art projects in the woods out of natural items <br />found in the woods. Most of the students worked alone on their project with assistance <br />from a retired art teacher and a retired Licensed Social Worker/Group Facilitator. Two <br />students worked together and built a 'home with a front porch out of rocks, sticks, <br />string, vines, flowers etc.' The students learned to work as a time as they worked with <br />guide rope and walked between trees, with the others cheering them on. Healthy Food <br />was donated by a local women's group; they prepared, sandwiches, fresh baked goods, <br />fruits, nuts and other items. <br />C. Spring Camp was again during a COVID restricted time and we were able to <br />accommodate ten students ages 11-16. These students were from the Homeless <br />Coalition Foundation of IRC, as their Executive Director asked to continue our <br />involvement with the students because of some behavior changes they noticed in the <br />students from prior camps. Ten students were enrolled with one student dropping out, <br />the attendance was on average one student a day did not attend. Working with this <br />population we are not always given reasons why a child may not come back. This camp <br />focused on the Indian River Lagoon- Save the Manatees as there was a die off during the <br />season. The students were given the opportunity to explore the lagoon by pontoon <br />boat, with bird watching and general education about the health of the lagoon <br />personally. The students had buckets in the classroom for reuse, recycle, compost and <br />trash and daily tallied up their results. They had a great time trying to beat their <br />previous day's score. <br />On the final day, the students were doing sidewalk art with the theme of 'saving the <br />manatees'; One student wrote; "Feed the Children, (aka Me)". After talking to her, she <br />stated; "How can I save the manatees when I don't even know where I will sleep <br />tonight". This became our afternoon conversation regarding student homelessness <br />issues in IRC, food deserts, and the concerns they have to remain in a stable <br />environment both personally and educationally. <br />171 <br />