LAKE ARIEL, PA — Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center was awarded a $4,000 community needs grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation for its STEM for All Initiative: Providing Access and Equitable Opportunities for All Students in Lackawanna County.

The program focuses on driving equity in STEM education. The curriculum must authentically represent all student cultures, backgrounds and experiences to be culturally relevant and engaging.  

The program provides safe and inclusive learning spaces for audiences, including young women; Black, Latinx and other students of color; those identifying as LGBTQ+; and those on the autism spectrum.

“Lacawac Sanctuary believes that all youth, regardless of race, ethnicity, or family income, deserve the opportunity to connect with nature and participate in STEM-based learning,” said Craig Lukatch, president of Lacawac Sanctuary. 

Lacawac Sanctuary is a nonprofit association founded in 1966 to protect a gift of the original Connell Park lands by Arthur and Isabel Watres and facilitate environmental education and research. Located on Lake Wallenpaupack, the Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation plays an important role in the preservation of Lake Lacawac, which is one of the southernmost glacial lakes in the hemisphere and has been preserved in pristine condition free from development and encroachment.  

For more information, visit www.lacawac.org. 

Learn more about the Scranton Area Community Foundation at www.safdn.org. 

Contributed by Lacawac Sanctuary.