Environmental-Conservation Action Program
The Environmental-Conservation Action Program (E-CAP) is built on the realization that many afterschool programs across the state and nation have depended on outdoor and environmental education themes for years as the kinds of activities that kids love because:
- they create the platform for hands-on, engaged, project based learning
- they motivate and inspire youth
- they create opportunities to partner with Nebraska organizations concerned about the environment and conservation
- they contribute to locally powered, sustainable afterschool and summer programs that can serve the needs of our local communities.
Grow NE
The goal of Grow NE is to empower Nebraska's young leaders to engage in and become leaders of local food systems, from preparing gardens to composting food waste. Grow NE contracts can support program needs to achieve this goal, including student and staff stipends, garden supplies and technology, and club events and field trips.
For the 2025-26 academic year, Beyond School Bells is broadening the scope of Grow NE support to include four tracks of programming: Innovative Agriculture, Local Food Systems, Sustainable Growing, and Afterschool to Table. All tracks require HS leadership participation in the National Geographic Slingshot Challenge. BSB can provide direct support and TA as needed.
Conservation Management Programming
The Conservation Management program is a compilation of experiences coordinated by Beyond School Bells and supported by the Nebraska Environmental Trust as well as various conservation organizations and professionals across the state. The program works with small groups of high school students (typically 3-5 per group) engaged in afterschool and summer programming to travel to conservation sites to learn and engage in conservation efforts. These students are accompanied by a Conservation Mentor selected by BSB. Trips vary in length from an afternoon experience, a full day, weekend trips with one- or two-night stays, and a two-week internship beginning in June.
