You and your students have an opportunity to do a good turn for the environment!

The Albemarle Environmental Association is offering two mini-grants of up to $250 each to teachers of grades 3 through 8 for environmental projects that have strong educational values. Projects should emphasize hands-on activities for students and should lead to permanent environmental improvements in your school or strengthen environmental awareness among students and teachers.

Projects: These can involve plantings to attract wildlife, setting up a school yard habitat for bird watching, worm-composting with food waste, innovative waste reduction or recycling programs, coordinating an environmental awareness day (such as a mini-Earth Day), producing a Multi-media advertisement for protecting local environment, initiating changes in school operation to protect the environment or save energy -- or come up with your own project.

Eligibility and Criteria: Grants will be awarded to individual teachers or teams of teachers from Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank , and Perquimans Counties. Projects may be carried out by a class, a club, a grade level, or an entire school. Projects may take place either indoors or outdoors and must directly involve students in productive, constructive activities and provide ongoing benefits to students. A visual record of accomplishments, with photographs, videotape, or slides, should be maintained during the project.

Signatures: Both teacher and principal must sign the application.

Funding: A budget detailing expenses for the project must be included on the last page of this application. Funds will not be allotted for transportation, field trips, salaries or stipends. Any request for funding should be above and beyond what the school system provides for students and classrooms.

Important Dates: Grant applications are available to teachers in the above counties as of September. Completed applications must be postmarked no later than October 31st. Applicants will receive written notification about their grant by the end of November. The project should be complete by May 20th.

Address: Please address proposals to Mr. James R. Davis, President, Albemarle Environmental Association, P. O. Box 1706, Elizabeth City, NC 27906. For any questions, call 336-4778 or 426-9563.

Evaluation Requirements: Projects must be completed by May 23rd. During the first week of June, winning teachers and students will be required to make a brief presentation about their activities at the Albemarle Environmental Association's Annual Meeting. Evaluation materials must be available at that time. Evaluation material should include a description of what you accomplished, an outline of specific activities, how many participated and at what grade level. Evaluation material may also consist of the results of pre- and post- attitude surveys, videotapes, slides, photographs, any quantitative measurements (such as number of pounds recycled), and/or any other data that is appropriate to your project.

For Mini Grant Application call 336-4778.