1 minute
The Legislature added $1 million in new state funding for the reconstruction of the Whiskeytown Environmental School, in Shasta County, which burned in the 2018 Carr Fire and is the subject of a broad community fund-raising effort involving schools and local philanthropies as well as the National Park Service, Sen. Megan Dahle, R-Bieber, announced today.
Senate Bill 113, a budget bill passed at the end of the legislative session, includes $1 million for Whiskeytown Environmental School Community, the nonprofit entity leading the fundraising, to support the goal of rebuilding infrastructure and cabins to restore the opportunity for a weeklong sleepaway science camp, which traditionally served fifth- and sixth-graders at schools around the North State.
“For decades, this camp has been an introduction to the outdoors and the natural sciences,” Sen. Dahle said, “but it was also a beloved rite of passage for generations to spend time away from home in a safe environment – for many children for the first time.”
The school is run by the Shasta County Office of Education, but is owned by the National Park Service at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. This partnership makes for a complex project, which has slowed reconstruction, but also provides important resources to supplement the educational programs and safety of the school.
“This was a difficult budget year and many important proposals could not be funded,” Sen. Dahle said. “This a critical investment in future generations in the North State and I made this request a high personal priority. I am grateful the Legislature was able to help move this work forward."