“As we put another year at Splash in our rearview mirror, I cannot help but be proud of how much impact we are having on the Sacramento region.” – Mackenzie Wieser, CEO of Sacramento Splash
This year, Sacramento Splash made waves, reaching 20,475 students and 643 teachers through hands-on science education, field trips, and classroom presentations. And here’s something we’re especially proud of: over 52% of all programs served Title I and underserved youth, with Project AWE alone reaching an incredible 56%.
From vernal pools to working farms, and even waste sorting, our programs connected more young people than ever to the wonder of our natural world. As Mackenzie shares, “Splash has the capacity to connect far more teachers and students with the great outdoors, yet sustainable funding remains our biggest challenge.”
A Year of Big Wins and Big Lessons
We kicked off the year by adding our 7th program, Trash Talk, thanks to a new partnership with Republic Services. This engaging, in-class presentation makes waste sorting fun, interactive, and memorable for students and their parents alike.
May brought our BIGGEST Big Day of Giving ever, raising over $154,000 thanks to our generous donors and matching fund supporters. And while the year wasn’t without challenges, including a major roof leak at the Splash Center and plumbing issues that disrupted some field trips, the spirit of our community came through. Public support helped secure another year of County funding, and we are determined to keep our mission thriving.
Looking Ahead – 2025 & Beyond
The road ahead is exciting and ambitious:
- Strengthening Project AWE with sustained funding and deeper community partnerships.
- Increasing our Rancho Cordova enrollments for YELC (Youth Environmental Leadership Camp), which still needs funding for 60 campers across four weeks.
- Hosting three fundraising events: Backyard Bash for Splash (Aug 22), Santa Visits Critterville (Dec), and AWE in Action (Mar).
- Welcoming Friends of Bushy Lake under our umbrella to continue Dr. Michelle Stevens’ vital western pond turtle survey research and internship program to steward Bushy Lake.
- Exploring new partnerships for corporate retreats and strategic planning sessions to diversify revenue streams.
- Begin planning and program development for a recycled water demonstration project at the Historic Nicolaus Dairy.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of helping other organizations thrive while staying true to our mission of inspiring and educating the next generation about the value of our natural world.” – Mackenzie Wieser.
Let’s Continue to Be Part of the Impact
The Annual Impact Report is more than numbers; it’s the story of a community working together to protect and preserve our environment for generations to come.
Read the full report to see how your support made a difference and how you can help us do even more: Read the 2024-25 Community Impact Report.