The Get to Know contest is back! Get to Know invites children and youth (age 18 & under) to get outdoors, "get to know" our wild neighbors of other species, and create art, writing, photos or video based on first-hand experience with nature. Click for more info on this year's contest themes and California launch events!

In this new section of our monthly eNews, we will contually update this story with current grant and award opportunities for Roots & Shoots group. So keep checking back, and apply today!

San Francisco's Tenderloin Green Thumb Eagles R&S group recently accepted a Gold Barnum Award for their excellence in service to their community. The gold medal comes with $1,000 to fund future community service endeavors. In the wake of the Barnum win, group leader and adult supervisor Tyler Shaw gave an inspiring interview to KCBS, where he discusses the amazing Dr. Jane encounter that changed is life, as well as his subsequent journey with the Eagles. Click for more!

Dry Creek R&S reported not one, not two, but six projects during the month of July 2010. One of these projects was "Seedlings for Mori Point," for which they organized members of their community around Pacifica, CA's Mori Point and were able to re-pot close to 1000 native plant seedlings, which will refurbish Mori Point come winter. Since their inception in October 2005, Dry Creek has reported almost 50 projects. Click to learn more about this amazing group and their projects!

Ecologists have discovered an unlikely link between cell phones and gorilla survival. The Los Angeles Zoo Roots & Shoots group needs YOUR help collecting old cell phones! They invite Roots & Shoots members to collaborate with them on this citywide project by helping collect phones. Find out how you and your group can get involved!

When Connie Forslind's second grade class at Rancho Romero School heard about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, they knew they had to help. They were inspired by the story of a dog named Pearl, a shelter dog who was adopted and trained in disaster relief, and wrote and illustrated a book about her story in order to raise funds for search and rescue dog training. Buy their book today to support their efforts, and find out more about their fantastic project!

Have you been wondering what you and your Roots & Shoots group can do to help clean up the oil in the gulf? Wonder no more, and act now! Check out Matter of Trust, an amazing organization that collects animal and human hair, fleece, feathers, and nylons, which volunteers use to create natural fiber booms that soak up oil spills. Click to read about all the different ways you can help!

Realizing the effect that cutting forests for firewood and cooking fuel has on both gorilla populations and the well-being of local communities, the Los Angeles Zoo ECO-Corps build a mini fuel-efficient stove model and set-up a demonstration at the United Nations Year of the Gorilla Event. Click to learn more about their efforts and fuel-efficient stoves!

Have you been to the Team Marine website lately? Seen their documentary? Their impressive list of awards? This is one busy Roots & Shoots group! They research and compete, they lobby and teach, and they’re not afraid to tap into their creative sides! Click to check out Team Marine's stellar example of what a R&S group can do.

Have you heard? Another endorsement letter for Roots & Shoots has just arrived! LA’s BEST, a nationally recognized provider of after-school programming, has officially endorsed Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program. Click to read all about it!

Roots & Shoots staff and CAYLC members presented at the Sally Ride Science Festival, which aims to inspire a love of science in 5th—8th grade girls. Click to read more about Sally Ride Science and Roots & Shoots activities!

The Berkeley Office spread Dr. Jane's message of hope to Oakland Zoo visitors with California Poppy Peace Pods! Read all about the event Roots & Shoots staff and interns recently attended in honor of Earth Day, including our Peace Pod project!

"What a healing day for the soul!" exclaimed Don's Net Cafe group leader Ms. B. Click to read about their successful event!

In late March, CAYLC member Miranda M. was recognized by the Climate Community as Citizen of the Week! Click to read about Miranda, her work with Roots & Shoots, and her recent accomplishment.

Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, California Region has been selected as one of nine local non-profits to receive funding from Green Wish Foundation! Click to read more and to see how you can get involved!

Meet Kai N., the starting speaker in Sequoia Park Zoo’s Guest Speaker Program. Kai has spent hundreds of hours volunteering at the Zoo, and has been very involved as a speaker inspiring youth both at home and around the world. Did we mention yet that Kai is a Roots & Shoots California Youth Leadership Council (CAYLC) member? Click to read more about Kai and his work with Roots & Shoots!

How do you think Team Marine spent this year's spring break? Road Trip! Click to read about what they accomplished in Sacramento.

Team Marine showed the film Tapped to community members and fellow students, successfully drawing a crowd of 150 people to the event.

Team Marine meets James Cameron for an invite only screening of Avatar in 3D!

Read how Roots & Shoots California's Regional Director Karen Oxrider celebrated National Women's History Month at The California Museum in Sacramento!

Click to find out what Roots & Shoots California staff, the CAYLC, and five L.A. area Roots & Shoots groups were up to at the March 13 L.A. Environmental Education Fair!

Congratulations to The Green Dream Roots & Shoots Group, who has been making an amazing difference in their community and the world through their Lifestraw Challenge project. Read all about Green Dream's success as well as Roots & Shoots California's next big water initiative!

Click the "About Us" tab above to read all about your Roots & Shoots California Team, including our new additions!

Click to see how you can support Roots & Shoots by attending this adults-only wine tour fundraising event.

The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet, and they are looking for 2010 nominations!

Click to read why everyone at Santa Barbara High School has been talking about Don's Net Cafe Roots & Shoots.

Endangered Species Big Year is an amazing opportunity to do Roots & Shoots animal community projects in the San Francisco Bay Area! Click to read more about Big Year and how you and your R&S Group can get involved.

The makers of Green Works natural cleaners are awarding six grants totaling $60,000. Roots & Shoots Ca. groups, get nominated for a Green Heroes grant! Click to read more about this exciting opportunity.

Were you unable to do a project on MLK Day? Never fear, Valentine's Day is almost here! Click to see how you can Help Haiti Now, while getting in the Valentine's Day spirit.

The Roots & Shoots California Youth Leadership Council is seeking motivated, goal oriented, and fun Roots & Shoots members to join them in making an even bigger difference in their communities and around the world. Apply today, and be the change you wish to see.

Click to read about a grant opportunity for Roots & Shoots teachers to integrate environmental education into their curriculum with Classroom Earth, a program of the National Environmental Education Foundation.

Click to check out L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Service Learning Advocate Cathryn Berger Kaye's Roots & Shoots Ca. endorsement letters!

Calling all expiring and expired Roots & Shoots groups! If you renew your membership before January 31, 2010, you could win a 2010 Tchimpounga Calendar, signed by Dr. Jane herself!

Workshops, service projects, and speakers, oh my! Read why the Summit was so great, even the Mayor of Los Angeles had to come out.

Spread the Gobble-Gobbles around this Thanksgiving and give everyone something to be thankful for!

From Civil Rights Photography exhibits to teen open mic nights, Roots & Shoots California partner Skirball Cultural Center in LA has a lot going on. See how you can get involved!

Have a cool project idea but lack the resources to support it? Click to see if you qualify for a Roots & Shoots California mini-grant!

Read about Dr. Jane's visit to Viewpoint, a Roots & Shoots California school!

East Bay Roots & Shoots-ers, read about this fantastic event coming up in Berkeley!

Check out this book by San Diego's High Tech High Roots & Shoots members!

Are you a Roots & Shoots group whose membership has expired or will expire between November 1, 2009, and January 31, 2010? If so, click to read how you could WIN!

On October 24, 2009, the Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel band of Mission Indians and Keepers of Indigenous Ways held a Canoe Welcoming Ceremony. Read more about it here!

Are you a California teen between the ages of 14 and 18? If so, you can enter a contest about job safety and health for teens, and WIN a CASH PRIZE! Read more about it here ASAP, before it's too late to enter!

California Youth Leadership members represent Roots & Shoots at the Bioneers Conference!

Read about the third annual Jane Goodall Global Leadership Awards!

Come hear Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles, speak at the Youth Summit!

Read about Dr. Jane's Northern and Southern California adventures!

Read about the fabulous Day of Peace event on the Santa Monica Pier!

Check out the live muscial acts that have confirmed their appearance at the Day of Peace in Santa Monica!

The California Youth Leadership Council and the Roots & Shoots California Regional office are proud to announce the 2009 Regional Youth Summit will be held at the beautiful Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades, California, November 13-15. Find out how to reserve your spot.

Our partner, Generation Earth, invites you to a FREE Professional Development - Service Learning Workshop, find out more!

Check out where and when Dr. Jane will be in the Bay Area!

Get to know local species of wildlife living in your area--and share your experience! Read more about how to get involved with the first ever Get to Know contest in California.

Don't miss the Los Angeles Zoo’s Go Gorilla! weekend, a part of the International Year of the Gorilla 2009 campaign!

Raising money for Roots & Shoots California is easy! 

Check out the amazing awards one CAYLC member received for her R&S efforts!

Join Roots & Shoots September 20, for the Day of Peace celebration at the Santa Monica Pier!

Calling all young people ready to change the world! Roots & Shoots California is offering qualifying schools membership scholarships. Click to see if you qualify!

Colony High School Roots & Shoots plants their way to a native garden, find out more.

See what exciting event Roots & Shoots' California Youth Leadership Council (CAYLC) attended!

Our Northern California Office has moved!

Take the CAYLC Challenge for the summer by staying involved with your Roots & Shoots group!

Register to share your service projects at our Roots & Shoots California Day of Peace and fly your Peace Dove at the Santa Monica Pier, September 20!

Get fundraising tips from ESP Roots & Shoots!

Roots & Shoots California members spent the day cleaning up the Los Angeles River in partnership with Friends of the Los Angeles River.

It is estimated that over 100 million cell phones are tossed out each year. Find out what one R&S group is doing to reduce e-waste in our landfills and help gorillas abroad!

Compassion and action from Roots & Shoots members paid off last month, when the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to help protect the natural habitat of endangered snakes and frogs. Get the scoop.

Join Roots & Shoots at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and make a toy for your animal friends! Register now to participate.

Check out the exciting new initiative inviting teens to use their consumer power to push America’s big apparel companies to step up their commitment to the environment. Help us get 20,000 messages to apparel companies this summer!

Summer is just around the corner and Roots & Shoots is gearing up for some fun outdoor projects!

Congratulations to Roots & Shoots member Veronica R. for winning the City of Santa Barbara Spirit of Service Award!

Green Dream and Team Marine Roots & Shoots groups take first and second prize in the Edison Challenge, and environmental science competition! Read more to find out about their award-winning projects.

Read about the how the Union Elementary School Roots & Shoots group learned all about water, walked three miles and captured the attention of local media!

The Tenderloin Green Thumb Eagles are participating in the Central Asia Institute's Pennies for Peace campaign.

The Eaglets Roots & Shoots group at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont created their very own water cycles in a jar!

Roots & Shoots groups from all over Los Angeles County learned about local watersheds, rain gardens and how to perform a water audit at a fantastic workshop held by Generation Earth.

Roots & Shoots group Team Marine spreads their environmental activism by educating local fourth graders on water issues.

Members of the Don's Net Cafe Roots & Shoots group used art to prevent recyclables from ending up in the trash at their high school.

The newly formed Los Osos Roots & Shoots group is off to a momentous start - and they have their own website to prove it.

Read about this award-winning group's efforts to ban the use of plastic bags throughout Santa Monica and check out their environmental video on YouTube!

The Sequoia Park Zoo Roots & Shoots group celebrated the planting of their 500th tree on January 10, a major milestone towards the R&S ReBirth the Earth: Trees for Tomorrow youth campaign’s goal of planting 3,000 trees in the U.S.

Read about Roots & Shoots group Green Dream's goal to purchase one million life-saving water filters and how they are recycling to raise funds.

Pierce recommended Roots & Shoots for charity gift-giving in his blog. Click here to check it out!

The newly formed R & S group from Orangevale, CA is already hard at work restoring natural habitats and protecting the environment.

Marigold Roots & Shoots group in Chico, California, would like to invite everyone to check out their website! Read about projects they have been working on and see pictures of the new mural on their garden wall.

The Sacramento Zoo Roots & Shoots group spray painted the words "No dumping - Flows to creek" on neighborhood curbs next to drains.

Roots & Shoots members were among the 13,000 in-person and virtual attendees at the 19th Annual Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California, in October. Several outstanding members and Youth Leaders even gave presentations and hosted panels.

In September 2008, Roots & Shoots California supported Dr. Jane Goodall’s vision of peace by celebrating with over 2,000 participants, vendors, exhibitors, students, R&S groups and celebrities in Griffith Park—all dedicated to doing their part to shift consciousness towards peace. Click to read more about the event!

The 2008 California Youth Summit is held at the Montecito Lake Resort in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest on November 7-9.