Students at 72 Indiana schools have the opportunity to experience the outdoors during the 2026-27 school year thanks in part to a grant program that supports field trips to Indiana State Parks and other state park-managed properties.
The Discover the Outdoors Field Trip Grant Program is administered through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF), the supporting nonprofit of the DNR, and is for all K-12 schools.
Rochester Middle School is one of the grant recipients. The grant will fund a field trip to the Indiana Dunes.
Grants of up to $500 are awarded to fund transportation costs, program fees, and classroom supplies related to the field trip, according to the DNR. They added that donations to the program have allowed the program to increase the total dollars distributed.
The fund was established in memory of Tom Huck a longtime DNR employee who was a supporter of outdoor experiences of children in parks.
A total of 415 field trip grants has been awarded since the program started in 2013, giving an estimated 35,900 students the opportunity to visit state parks at a reduced cost to schools and students, according to the DNR. They added, with this year’s awards, more than $108,500 in overall funding has been distributed to allow students to visit an Indiana state park.
To donate to the field trip program, visit IndianaNRF.org. Indiana has 24 state parks, eight reservoirs, two state forest recreation areas and two off-road state recreation areas eligible for field trip funding.
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