Our Partnerships

Carver’s Outdoor Education program is strengthened by meaningful partnerships with scientists who share their expertise, curiosity, and passion for the natural world with our students. Throughout the year, researchers from the Richmond Hill Garden Club, the Georgia Native Plant Society Maritime Chapter, All the Buzz Nursery, Georgia Southern University, Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, UGA Marine Extension and Sea Grant, the Xerces Society, Coastal Wildscapes, and community conservation groups spend full days with our fourth and fifth graders in the field. Together they guide students through authentic investigations, mentor young scientists, and support our stewardship projects across the Ogeechee River Basin. These collaborations bring real scientific practice to life and give every child the chance to learn directly from professionals who study and care for the ecosystems we call home.

Our partnerships are mutually beneficial. In addition to providing educational outreach opportunities for our partners, we also contribute data and specimen to research being conducted by our scientist partners. We love "Ask a Scientist" where we ask our partners video questions via Google Drive and they reply with video answers. Students have enjoyed "Eat With a Scientist" where students have lunch with a scientist partner and we all talk about our field research. 

We are very gracious and thankful for our in-kind and financial donations from our partners. They have donated equipment that allows us to conduct our stewardship and conservation work. Their strongest support comes from their spirit of support. Our partners are Carver's biggest cheerleaders and they love to share about the work of our students with others! 

Initial site visit in December with Dr. Bobby Hattaway and verifying the identification of Lantana depressa var. floridana. 

Charlotte interviews Dr. Keith Crandall for a special edition of Wildcat News: Scientist Spotlight. 

Dr. Keith Crandall visits with Mrs. Crandall's Class to share about crayfish research.

Dr. Crandall and Dr. Brooke Grub are using our crayfish data in the update for the  IUCN Red List for Procambarus troglodytes.

Dr. Zachary Graham is the author of our textbook, "Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad." He visited with Mrs. Reece's Class to discuss his book, the research of his lab, and students asked lots of questions about crayfish.