OPEI Awards $5,000 Grant to Paducah, Ky., School

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Discovery Education and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)’s Education Foundation has announced the Grand Prize winner and two runners-up of TurfMutt’s second annual national "Spruce Up Your School" sweepstakes.  

The national TurfMutt program, named after Lucky, a real-life rescue dog, is a dynamic digital curriculum that encourages kids and their families to protect and foster green space in their communities, and advocates for animal rescue and adoption initiatives.

The TurfMutt curriculum has reached more than 1 million students across the country, and is featured on the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Education, Department of Energy and the Center for Green Schools at USGBC websites. 

Kim Davidson, a Morgan Elementary teacher, won the Grand Prize on behalf of her entire school. Located in Paducah, Ky., Morgan Elementary School will receive a $5,000 grant to introduce more green space around school grounds and play areas, and all students at Morgan Elementary will receive a TurfMutt backpack with school supplies.

Davidson entered the TurfMutt sweepstakes hoping to create a vibrant play area around the school and encourage environmental awareness through the care of more green space. 

Discovery Education and OPEI will present Davidson and Morgan Elementary School with the Grand Prize check on May 24, along with a surprise visit from Lucky, the real-life rescue dog and TurfMutt spokesdog. 

The two runners-up in the TurfMutt Sweepstakes are Becky Adams from Hearn Academy in Phoenix, Ariz; and Robert Voss from Yorktown Elementary School in Yorktown, Ind. Students in these two winning classrooms will receive TurfMutt-branded Green Packs” that contain eco-friendly school supplies, including a canvas backpack, lunch bag, colored pencils, and a water bottle.

OPEI and Discovery Education have created a dynamic digital curriculum and set of online resources that encourages kids and their families to take care of the land around them and fosters an appreciation of green space in their communities. 

In addition to lesson plans, engaging activities, puzzles and videos, children and their families can enjoy an interactive map about ecosystems across the country. With these resources, teachers can emphasize the benefits of growing plants in balance with local climates and environments, and young people and their parents can learn about sustainability in their own backyards.

Lesson plans and family activities can be found at www.TurfMutt.com.