Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is holding its annual Bus Bucks fundraiser through the end of February. Donations fund bus reimbursements for schools attending SEEAG’s Farm-to-Food Lab programs in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Currently, SEEAG is scheduled to host more than 5,000 students in 2025. To ensure there are enough funds to pay for transportation, Bus Bucks’ goal is to raise $20,000.
Each year, third-graders from Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties take part in the Farm Lab program at Allan Hancock College’s Demonstration Orchard in Santa Maria and Petty Ranch in Ventura.
The program and field trips are entirely free to students, teachers and schools.
“We want to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate in our hands-on Farm-to-Food Lab programs,” said Caitlin Paulus-Case, SEEAG executive director. “Covering transportation costs helps remove a major financial barrier.
“We often hear from students that their trip to Farm Lab is their very first field trip. It leaves a lasting understanding of the connection between agriculture and the food we eat.”
In the 2023/24 school year, the nonprofit organization delivered hands-on agricultural education to 9,796 students from 87 schools across 26 school districts. Many who attend are low-income, Title 1 students.
To make a Bus Bucks donation, visit https://www.seeag.org/busbucks. For more about SEEAG’s ag education programs, go to www.seeag.org or call 805-585-5872.