San Jose nonprofit gets $250k county grant for environmental education
O’Neill Sea Odyssey will use funds to expand marine science learning program .
OSO, YSI get county grants
Santa Clara County recently approved grants for the expansion of two local youth environmental education programs: the Youth Science Institute (YSI) and O’Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO).
Founded by Jack O’Neill in 1996, OSO provides free firsthand marine science learning for 5,000 fourth- through sixth-graders and students with disabilities annually. The $250,000 grant from the county will enable the San Jose-based nonprofit to expand its educational programming to 80 additional classes from under-resourced Santa Clara County schools.
“Many parts of Santa Clara County are connected to our ocean through their local watershed,” said Tracey Weiss, executive director of OSO. “This county grant will allow Santa Clara County students to understand how they are connected to our ocean ecosystem and provide youth with a hands-on learning experience.”
The nonprofit YSI provides hands-on learning to 30,000 students annually through its science summer camps, school and community events, and safaris at its education centers in Alum Rock Park in San Jose, Sanborn County Park in Saratoga and Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos.
The $125,000 grant to YSI will expand the organization’s reach and cover both programming and transportation for an estimated 3,987 students.
Moon Festival
Yun Yee Tong USA will perform a lion dance Sept. 23 at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose as part of a Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
Guests can explore Chinese and Vietnamese customs of celebrating and giving thanks to the moon and the harvest season. In many parts of Asia, the festivals coincide with the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.
Activities include making Play-doh mooncakes, dancing to traditional music and making clay rabbits in the Neiman Art Studio. For more information, visit https://www.cdm.org/celebrate/community-celebrations/mid-autumn-moon-festival.