Engaging students in outdoor life skills during the school day is essential to maintain and grow interest in hunting, fishing and recreational archery and shooting sports. That is what the Wildlife Department's Outdoor Education Program aims to do. And because of the Foundation's recent donation, tens of thousands of Oklahoma school kids will be introduced to what could be a lifetime activity. These programs have a proven track record for engaging students who often are not involved in other school related activities.

Partnerships have always been the key to expanding the Wildlife Department's reach into new schools large and small across the state. Funding from the Foundation is adding to the dollars the Wildlife Department has been committing for the last 20 years as they continue to provide equipment to schools that want to add outdoor education to their schools curriculum.

Oklahoma high schools participating in the Wildlife Department's Outdoor Education Program receive over $12,000 in equipment and curriculum for Fishing in Schools, Archery in Schools, Varsity Archery, Explore Bowfishing, Explore Bowhunting, Scholastic Shooting Sports and Hunter Eduction.

This fiscal year, the Foundation provided $40,625.00 to fund additional equipment adding 50 Fishing in Schools kits and 9 kits for all of the other programs. And because the Wildlife Department can match every dollar from the Foundation with three dollars from wildlife restoration or sport fish restoration grants, the grand total becomes $162,500 in equipment kits purchased for new schools coming on board this fiscal year.

The Foundation operates solely from donations, fund raising events and outside grant dollars. If you would like to like to contribute, go to the Foundation website at:  https://www.okwildlifefoundation.org.  

Schools interested in the Wildlife Department's suite of education programs should contact Communication and Education Specialist Kelly Boyer at Kelly.Boyer@odwc.ok.gov. The next round of teacher training courses will begin in May 2025 and will end in September. Most programs are available to grade 4-12 except Varisty Archery (high school only) and Scholastic Shooting Sports (grades 7-12 only).