TEP is joining the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Cooper Center for Environmental Education with support for a new solar-shaded classroom and a matching donation for its education programs.
The center, better known as Camp Cooper, has provided outdoor and nature education in the Tucson Mountains to more than 150,000 local children.
Camp Cooper’s 60th Anniversary Homecoming Event on Nov. 16 will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new facilities, including the TEP-sponsored solar-shaded outdoor classroom. TEP will be a featured honoree during the event.
TEP provided a $15,000 matching grant to jumpstart the center’s September crowdfunding campaign, which set a $60,000 goal. The center raised enough donations to earn the full match in less than five days, helping to ensure its educators can continue to teach children about the Sonoran Desert’s wonders. TEP’s funding – which comes from corporate resources, not customer’s rates – will go toward field trip programs and Camp Cooper educators.
“TEP’s generous support for Camp Cooper is instrumental in our ability to offer inspirational desert learning experiences to the children and families in Southern Arizona who need it the most. Their contributions have allowed us to hire amazing educators for our programs, renovate our aging facility, and eliminate costs for schools in need,” said Colin Waite, the center’s Director.
This latest donation continues TEP’s longtime support of the center, which aligns with our focus on education and environmental stewardship.
In 2020, TEP gave initial funding for a new solar-shaded classroom where children will learn about renewable energy and other environmental and nature topics. The pandemic and other issues delayed the project. The patio is expected to be completed by the November event, with solar panels and electrical components expected in the coming months.
Previously, TEP helped Camp Cooper expand its educational offerings to high school students through the Rising Vision program, which provided an opportunity to research and develop potential strategies for improving local air quality.
Over its six decades, Camp Cooper has offered an introduction to nature for many local children, providing hands-on learning opportunities during overnight and day trips. More than 90 percent of the students served at Camp Cooper are qualified as low-income.
Each year, about 3,200 students visit Camp Cooper.
“TEP supports Camp Cooper because we genuinely believe that connecting our young people with their natural environment will make them good stewards of our planet, now and in the future,” said Wendy Erica Werden, TEP’s Manager of Community Investment and Philanthropy. “What they learn today, they can use immediately, and then make sustainable choices for their lifetime.”
Leading up to next month’s celebration event, Camp Cooper has been collecting memories from those who have attended the programs, including some TEP employees and retirees.
