TOWNSEND, TN. — Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has been awarded $25,000 from Lawson Family Foundation to support their efforts to connect people with nature through innovative pathways. Recognizing that outdoor opportunities aren’t equal for all communities, Tremont is taking steps to create programs and opportunities that welcome communities in new ways.
Tremont Institute is a nonprofit residential environmental education center located inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For over 50 years, Tremont has invited youth and adults to their campus for immersive, multi-day experiences designed to connect people and nature. In the last year, they have welcomed over 3,000 individuals to their programs on campus.
“We realize that not everyone feels a sense of belonging, or even completely comfortable, inside the national park and we want to help address that,” said Tremont president and CEO Catey McClary. “By creating new methods for engaging members of our community, we’re able to help strengthen the relationship between people and nature. Ultimately, we’re building happier communities, curious learners, and better stewards for our planet.”
One innovative program that Tremont is hosting is the Environmental and Community Leaders Fellowship (ECLF) at Fulton High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. This program, which began in 2018, empowers young adults to create equitable access to outdoor opportunities in their communities.
During their two-year fellowship, Fulton juniors and seniors develop self-awareness, civic leadership, and personal connection to nature, plan and lead community events in urban green spaces, and explore related careers and opportunities to be change-makers. Participation includes afternoon meetings, day trips, service learning, and a multi-day residential experience at Tremont’s campus inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each summer, four students are offered paid internships inside the Smokies with Tremont and the National Park Service.
“We are inspired by the innovative work that Tremont is doing to make nature and the outdoors more accessible to everyone,” said Matthew Harrell, executive director at Lawson Family Foundation. “They are not only creating opportunities to get Knoxville’s young people outdoors, but they’re helping build a connection to the National Park.”
Driven by the belief that every life has equal value, the Lawson Family Foundation supports efforts that promote justice and opportunity in all aspects of society, primarily in Knoxville. In doing so, it seeks to achieve a positive impact in marginalized communities that will last for generations. The award from the Lawson Family Foundation will support ECLF program delivery and expansion, including expenses related to outreach, transportation, and residential costs.
Tremont is also developing plans for a second campus in Townsend, Tennessee, that will demonstrate the organization’s commitment to sustainability and equity. The new campus will serve as an extension of Tremont’s current work in the national park, allowing for greater program capacity and new educational offerings that reach a wider audience.
“We’re so thankful to the Lawson Family Foundation for prioritizing equity in the outdoors” said McClary. “The kinds of connections that we’re developing have long-lasting impacts for individuals and communities.”
To learn more about Tremont and support their work, visit gsmit.org.
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Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont provides in-depth experiences through educational programs that celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, foster stewardship, and nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Learn more at www.gsmit.org.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2023
Contact:
Erin Rosolina, Tremont Institute
(865) 448-6709, [email protected]
Pictured in header: Lawson Family Foundation Executive Director Matthew Harrell with Tremont Institute’s president and CEO, Catey McClary, and development director, Megan Womack, during a recent visit to Tremont’s campus in the Smokies.
