The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Teacher of the Year (TOTY) grant recognizes outstanding innovation and excellence in life sciences education and place-based conservation teaching. In 2025-2026, Carver’s Seeds of Stewardship project earned this statewide honor for its creative and sustainable plan to engage students in authentic conservation work that increases native biodiversity and strengthens ecosystem resilience on our 50-acre campus.

This award affirms that Carver’s Outdoor Education and Seeds of Stewardship initiative is not only transforming student learning but contributing to real conservation outcomes in coastal Georgia. Guided by the question “What lives at Carver and how can we care for it?,” students document species, conduct soil and habitat investigations, restore degraded areas, collect and catalog native seed for a student-managed Seed Library, create native habitat, and contribute meaningful field data to state and regional conservation efforts. 

The DNR TOTY grant supports targeted outdoor learning supplies that enhance our National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools Action Projects, enriching Carver’s ongoing stewardship and biodiversity goals. These supplies expand student capacity to engage deeply in field science, strengthen ecological literacy, and build leadership skills through sustained environmental action.