South Carolina Aquarium to visit The Children’s Museum of the Upstate

The Mary Black Foundation announced funding that has made a partnership possible between the South Carolina Aquarium and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate – Spartanburg. On April 10th and 11th, the South Carolina Aquarium will bring its Rovers Education Outreach Program to the Children’s Museum of the Upstate in Spartanburg. The Rovers program was established in 2008 in response to teachers’ requests for supplemental STEM-related learning opportunities for their students. This interactive, hands-on learning opportunity utilizes live animals and natural resources with a grade-specific, state standards aligned curriculum.

This partnership is an example of how organizations can maximize learning experiences for young children through collaboration. Both organizations are grantees of the Mary Black Foundation and were encouraged to work together to increase their reach and effectiveness. This funding and partnership allows the South Carolina Aquarium to have a presence among early childhood programs in the Upstate for the first time. In addition to their partnership with The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, the South Carolina Aquarium has collaborated with Spartanburg County First Steps to help them identify pre-k programs most in need of supplemental resources. Brian Thill, the Director of Education for the South Carolina Aquarium, said “Thanks to the Mary Black Foundation, we are thrilled to connect with the Upstate and engage youth through our Rovers outreach programming. We take great pride in connecting and educating South Carolinians on the importance and interconnected nature of ALL our watersheds and regions in South Carolina.”.

While the South Carolina Aquarium offers programs for students of all ages, due to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s focus on early childhood development, the Rovers program on April 10-11 will be tailored for children 10 years old and younger. For more information about the upcoming event, please contact Chloe Garrison at [email protected].

About the Mary Back Foundation

The Mary Black Foundation is an independent private foundation. Since 1996, the Foundation has awarded more than $54 million to support its mission of investing in the people and communities for improved health, wellness, and success in Spartanburg County. The Foundation works to achieve its mission primarily through its efforts to improve early childhood development and encourage healthy eating and physical activity. It also awards grants under the Community Health Fund to improve health and wellness more broadly.
 
Additional information about the Foundation is available at www.maryblackfoundation.org.