BOLINGBROOK – State Senator Rachel Ventura and State Representative Dagmara Avelar are celebrating a $1,600 grant awarded to Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook through the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

“For me, education is strongest when students can step outside the classroom and experience learning firsthand,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Field trips like this give students the opportunity to engage directly with the natural world, ask questions and build a deeper understanding that simply can’t be replicated in a textbook.”

IDNR and ICF awarded more than $101,000 for 108 field trip grants across 34 Illinois counties. The funding helps cover costs such as transportation and substitute teachers, ensuring more students can access experiential learning opportunities tied directly to their curriculum.

The grant received by Brooks Middle School will support a field trip for 7th grade students to the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, which features interactive exhibits with live wildlife, hiking trails and birdwatching opportunities.

“As a former vice president of the Will County Forest Preserve District, I’m especially glad to see students visiting Four Rivers,” Ventura added. “It’s an outstanding local resource that brings environmental education to life and helps young people connect with the natural spaces in their own community.”

“The children of Illinois deserve meaningful opportunities to engage with natural resources and broaden their education,” said Avelar (D-Romeoville). “Through IDNR’s Biodiversity Field Trip Grants, students can access enriching experiences at museums, state parks, and wildlife exhibits. Learning extends beyond the classroom, and these opportunities support greater knowledge, cultural awareness, on-hand learning and inclusivity.” 

Funding for the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program is made possible through private donations from the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation of Skokie and the D.F. and M.T. Grohne Family Foundation of Wilmington, coordinated by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.