NESS gives underserved students the opportunity to succeed in academics and in life.

Many of the schools and school districts that NESS serves have very high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches — in some cases so high that the entire school qualifies. These schools are often plagued by low attendance and chronic absenteeism. Such conditions have been shown to have profoundly negative consequences on students’ emotional and cognitive development.

The challenge is enormous – for the schools and for NESS – but, most importantly, for the students. NESS hopes and believes that its efforts help these children rise to the challenge, armed with life skills that prepare them for college and STEM careers, and lifetime stewards of their community and natural environment.

To ensure that NESS’s programs are accessible to all, NESS makes up the difference through fundraising and grants and provides scholarships based on demonstrated financial need. Decisions regarding the granting of a scholarship will be made by NESS’s Scholarship Committee at its sole discretion. Schools qualify for NESS scholarships based on the percentage of students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches.