The Student Conservation Association, a national leader in youth service and stewardship, has announced a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the Kendeda Fund in support of programs aimed at actively engaging high school-aged youth in conservation work and issues.

The grant will be used to strengthen SCA programs in national parks and forests and urban communities, as well as enhance its curricula development and evaluation process. SCA has partnered with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies to enable crews of high school students to spend up to a month at a time maintaining hiking trails, restoring habitats, and learning about the environment and sustainability issues. Building on that success, the organization has launched urban conservation crews in more than twenty municipalities to engage city teens in conservation work and issues by providing green job opportunities in their home communities.

"With this generous support from the Kendeda Fund, SCA will enhance the content and consistency of our core curriculum systemwide," said SCA president Dale Penny. "In doing so, we will ensure that the next generation is armed with the ethic, skill, and commitment to serve as conservation leaders and citizen stewards for the future....Ultimately, this grant will help SCA improve and expand our service opportunities for young people from all walks of life, accelerating the growth of a more inclusive and accomplished community of young conservationists."