LEEP'S mission is provide opportunities for students of all ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds to explore South Carolina's natural environment through experiential learning.

Description:
We join together with educators, scientists, community leaders, and other organizations to provide a series of innovative, standards-based, classroom lessons with correlated, hands-on field studies that are designed to inspire and engage the students into what they are learning. We also help schools participate in environmental programs of other organizations. Many schools do not participate in the programs that are available. Parks and learning institutions want more students to use their facilities. We help increase participation and assist under served students gain exposure to different and exciting locations.
We aim to unite the community to provide resources and expertise for area students by forming partnerships with various organizations and individuals such as Coastal Expedition, Noisette, the Sustainability Institute, Mayor Joe Riley, See Wee Center, County Parks and Recreation, SC Aquarium, College of Charleston, MESSA. Our partnerships offer us access to parks, wildlife refuges, and services that may not be accessible without these vital relationships with LEEP. Additionally, various community leaders and area experts participate in our classes.

History:
LEEP began in 1999 when a group of young people, all between the ages of 25 and 30, living and working in Charleston, came together to discuss the lack of accessible, hands-on, outdoor environmental education for students in the Charleston area. All of these young adults had benefited from opportunities for outdoor experiential learning during their formative years, and they believed strongly that ALL young people should have access to learn about the environment by actually being in it; that the best way to learn is to do.

This energetic group formed the Lowcountry Environmental Education Programs and began by offering volunteer-led excursions for Charleston public school classes to local forests and beaches. The founders focused on Title 1 schools in which many of the students do not have access to these types of outdoor opportunities. In fact, they found that many of these students had never visited a local beach, despite growing up so close to the coast. They believed by offering free or reduced costs programs to local schools, ALL children would be able to reap the benefits of outdoor education. They sought to eliminate the two main obstacles teachers face in offering their students outdoor educational field trips: 1) funds for transportation and 2) the tools and knowledge to provide students with a quality outdoor learning experience. LEEP’s vision became one to act not only as a steward of the environment, but to provide needed resources to schools and teachers who sought alternatives to helping students learn.

LEEP formally incorporated in 2001 as a 501© (3) non-profit organization in South Carolina with the mission of providing access to outdoor, hands-on environmental education to students in Charleston and the surrounding area in order that students may become better critical thinkers and good stewards of the environment. LEEP continues to operate through the strong support of our staff members and overwhelming volunteer support.

As of 2007 a record number of Charleston youth benefited from LEEP’s programs - 2800 students in over 25 schools participate in LEEP’s Wetlands Learning Cycle classes and have been involved in the many programs we have offered in the past 7 years. We continue to expand our involvement within schools and with environmental organizations in the Charleston area

Contact people:

Ian Sanchez, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Diana Bristow, Assistant To Ian Sanchez, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (800) 732-9625

Address:

451 Folly Rd Charleston, SC 29412 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.scleep.org