TIFTON, Ga. — A Colquitt County public school and a local private school are among six agencies across the region to receive educational grants from the Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District.

The district announced the grants in a press release last week.

“Education is a critical element of the conservation effort at the local, state and national levels,” the press release said. “Educating young people about the benefits of conservation helps to ensure the next generation will be wise stewards of America’s natural resources.”

The Environmental and Agricultural Education Grant provides funds for educators to implement new lessons, tools, or projects in the classrooms to teach students about agriculture and natural resources, the conservation district said.

The grant recipients of the Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District Educational Grant will each receive up to $1,000, according to their project. The recipients are as follows:

• R.B. Wright Elementary in Colquitt County — Teacher Pricilla Illian: Their project, titled “Life Cycle of a Plant,” will provide students with hands-on experience by allowing them to take part in seed dispersal and observe the entire process of the plant life cycle.

• Colquitt Christian Academy in Colquitt County — Teacher Leana Atkinson: Their project, titled “Starter Ag Program with Raised Bed Garden,” will help a new ag program grow with a raised garden bed. It will allow the students the opportunity to learn how to farm on a smaller scale.

• Worth County 4-H in Worth County — Agent Kristen Ford: Their project, titled “National 4-H Land Judging Trip,” will allow four students that comprised the Georgia state-winning land judging team to travel to Oklahoma and represent Georgia in the National 4-H Land Judging Contest.

• North Brooks Elementary in Brooks County — Teachers Candice Simpson and Caroline Cook: Their project, titled “Fern House, Where the Green Stuff Grows,” will allow the purchase of a greenhouse for a controlled climate to introduce students to planting and harvesting all year long.

• Brooks County Extension in Brooks County — Agent Stephanie Hollifield: Their project, titled “Ag Learning Trail/Outdoor Classroom,” will help purchase interpretive signs to go along the Nature Walk on the Ag Learning Trail.

• G. O. Bailey Elementary in Tift County — Teacher Jennifer Turner: Their project, titled “Effects of Erosion & Prevention,” will provide students with a streaming water table so the students can see how water affects the eroding of soil.

The Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District is a unit of state government that directs natural resource management programs in Ben Hill, Brooks, Colquitt, Crisp, Irwin, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties. The Conservation District works with farmers, landowners, and with other units of government to educate and actively promote programs and practices that support the conservation, and use and development of soil, water, and related resources. More information can be found at https://www.gacd.us/middlesouthgeorgia.