We are thrilled to support an exciting new educational opportunity in the Denver Mountain Parks this summer. Over the past few years, our foundation has been working with the Denver Zoo on developing educational programs focused on the Denver Mountain Parks bison herd.
In the initial phases, we provided financial support for program, staff, and transportation costs for a pilot program bringing middle school students on science-based field trips to visit the bison at Genesee Mountain Park. Through this program, about 100 youth worked with staff from the Denver Zoo, Volunteers for Outdoors Colorado, and Denver Mountain Parks rangers to learn about bison dung beetles as an indicator of pasture health, and to complete hands-on science recording dung beetle statistics.
Now, Denver Mountain Parks, with financial support from the foundation (our board members enthusiastically voted yes, on this measure!), has created the first ever Denver Mountain Parks Teacher Fellowship in order to support curriculum development to make sure this exciting program with the Denver Zoo can reach more Denver students.
Please share this opportunity with teachers with curriculum development expertise around hands-on science… who may also have a serious hankering for spending time with Denver’s most charismatic mega-fauna this summer! Preference will be given to Denver Public Schools teachers with the intent of developing on-going relationships between the mountain parks and Denver schools.
The official announcement from Denver Mountain Parks:
Fellowship Summary: The Denver Mountain Parks (DMP) system is launching a new fellowship program designed to bring teachers to Denver’s mountain parks to create closer connections between youth and the natural environment. This 6-week fellowship offers a great way to spend the summer outdoors while earning a personal cash stipend and a cash grant for your classroom. The selected educator will be tasked with developing curriculum-based education programs that can be delivered by Park Rangers and partners throughout the year. Topic areas will rotate yearly and may include history, biology, physical science, or other subjects related to the Denver Mountain Parks. Teachers from the Denver Public Schools system will be given preference, but educators from any school district are invited to apply and will be considered. This fellowship is funded through the generous support of the Denver Mountain Parks Foundation.
2019 Focus Area: Bison Dung Beetle Science (Biology)
Description: The selected educator will work with a science and education team from the Denver Zoo and Denver Mountain Parks to create a series of field-based education programs designed to engage, educate, and excite park visitors and school groups. Responsibilities will include helping to lead field-based bison dung beetle studies with youth groups at Genesee Park, creating dung beetle and bison education programs for off-season school groups, helping to plan National Bison Day events, and helping to establish a format for future DMP summer fellowship recipients.
Dates: June – August (dates flexible)
Location: Genesee area, Colorado
Fellowship Award: $5,000 ($3,500 personal cash award and $1,500 classroom grant)
How to apply:
Submit a resume and cover letter describing your interest by 3/18/2019 to:
Shannon Dennison
Denver Mountain Parks
Shannon.Dennison@denvergov.org