Grey Highlands Secondary School will use a $15,000 grant to engage secondary students in biodiversity monitoring.
The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group’s Learning Engagement and Accelerator Fund (L.E.A.F.) will help the school launch "H2-Oh! What’s in the Water?"
The cutting-edge eDNA technology identifies species from tiny traces of genetic material in environmental samples such as water, soil, and air.
“This program connects classroom learning with real-world biodiversity science,” said Nicole Anthony, the project’s lead educator. “Students will get exposed to advanced molecular tools to generate data that can reveal the species living in the local ecosystem. Thanks to The Commonwell’s L.E.A.F. Grant, we can provide students with a hands-on learning experience that builds both scientific literacy and a sense of stewardship for their local environment.”
The program is administered by The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, which invested $400,000 in community grants this year.
“This year, the L.E.A.F. initiative saw an unprecedented $6.96 million in funding requests, underscoring how essential it is to the well-being of the communities we serve," said Tim Shauf, President of The Commonwell. "At The Commonwell, we are committed to Building Member Value by caring beyond us and beyond now, and these projects represent real action behind that commitment, supporting communities where they are today and shaping stronger futures for the generations that follow.”
L.E.A.F. aims to support program development and resource upgrades to help cultivate community resilience and capacity.
