Great Parks Foundation

The Susan K. Black Foundation supports the Great Parks Foundation Art In Root Program of Hamilton County, Ohio.
Art in Root seeks to give students direct experience with nature through its programs and field trips.  Great Parks wants to close the “nature deficit” in many communities by introducing students to the beauty and diversity of the excellent parks in the area.
The Great Parks, Art in Root Program’s purpose is to enhance connections between students, nature and art.  The program targets junior and senior students in often underserved schools.  The Art in Root program aims to target up to twenty schools with in-class instruction using living animals native to the area as a key part of the presentations.  The instructors discuss the animals, their habitat, needs, and threats.  They also provide art instruction based on the classroom discussion.  Students then use art supplies provided by the program to create their own art projects based on the themes of the in-class program.  In addition to the classroom experience the students are provided with fieldtrips to directly experience nature in their local areas.  Later the student art is exhibited and entered into competitions.
The program plans to reach two thousand students directly and to impact the community at large through that work.