Grants help Ill. students experience nature

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Nearly 7,000 students will get to visit state parks, museums and other natural resources sites, thanks to grants provided by private donors.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Marc Miller announced more than $77,000 in Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grants on Tuesday.

The grants are made possible through donations to the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Teachers statewide will use the money to take students on field trips to learn about nature and conservation.

Miller says the grants allow students to see firsthand what they've been learning in the classroom. He says the trips help students see "a whole new world" they may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.

The grant program has distributed more than $592,000 since it was started in 2001.