At Conservation Club, middle- and high-school students participate in local stewardship projects, environmental advocacy and leadership training as modes for connecting to and protecting the environment in real-world situations. Conservation Club chapters are located in each of the Red Oaks service areas throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky. Chapters meet a minimum of once a month, with the option to add on additional projects or meetups. Activities club members engage in include:

• Monthly Outings - Meet-ups to introduce students to other nonprofit’s work, create stewardship projects, go on hikes to explore the ecology of the region, have guest speakers, and more.  

• KYA (fall) and KUNA (spring) - These youth government opportunities, in partnership with the YMCA, introduce students to the process of advocacy at the state and world level. Both include weekly meetings for approximately 10 weeks and conclude with a multi-day conference* in Louisville with students from different schools across the state. Meetings are held after traditional school hours to encourage all students to have a chance to join our team.

  *A separate fee is incurred from the YMCA for the conference. Financial aid is available through both the YMCA and Red Oaks to prevent barriers to participation.

• Bonus Projects - Occasionally, we participate in projects that require more than our allotted monthly meeting time to complete. Past projects have included:

• Building bird and bat boxes

• Stormwater drain mural

• Invasive species removal

• Urban gardening

• Bird surveys

• River cleanups

• Hikes and adventures to different ecosystems in Kentucky

Cost

This club is free for all students to attend.