The Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation has provided fiscal sponsorship for three very unique Flint Hills educational programs. These outstanding programs offered an extraordinary opportunity for the Foundation to support the Flint Hills Discovery Center's regional mission of connecting children, teachers and schools to the rich dimension of the Flint Hills, and sharing with a broad audience the special story of the history of the Flint Hills.

Santa Fe Trail

Dave Kendall produced a film to commemorate the bicentennial of the Santa Fe Trail in 2021. The trail crossed the Flint Hills region as it made its way from Missouri to New Mexico. The film focuses on the historical importance of the trail in helping develop the United States.

Prairie Women: Engaging Women of the Flint Hills

Dave Kendall produced the film, “Prairie Women: Engaging Women of the Flint Hills.” Dave and his wife, Laura Mead, filmed some of the notable women actively engaged in the promotion, preservation and protection of the Flint Hills, as well as reflecting upon the pioneering experiences of those who came before them. The production focuses on women engaged in a variety of pursuits, from ranching and agri-tourism to songwriting and landscape painting. The film premiered in the spring of 2018.

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: A Flint Hills Love Story

Dave's first film was “The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: A Flint Hills Love Story.” This is a documentary about the creation of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County, Kansas, managed by the National Park Service in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy in Kansas.

Be sure and visit Dave’s website, prairiehollow.net and the Prairie Hollow Productions Facebook page to learn more about his film work and purchase copies of these films.

Flint Hills Educational Map

Every K-12 school in the Flint Hills was offered a large museum-quality map display free of change in 2016. The map display included a colored map outlining the Flint Hills, showing the remaining intact prairie and a selection of three associated side panels.

Over 180 Flint Hills schools have the Map on display in their buildings. The Map display is also located at seven colleges and ten public locations in the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Discovery Center also displays two four panel maps on the second floor. One display is in the classroom and the other is located at the entrance to the Tallgrass Gallery. The regional Educational Map placement project was financed by over 60 private and public donors.

This is the first-of-a-kind educational Map program offered in the Flint Hills region. A major dimension of the project is the educational component which includes teaching materials available at the Flint Hills Learning Center. Click here to learn more.

15 Passenger Van

On July 19, 2022, the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation provided funds to the City of Manhattan to purchase a 15-passenger van, equaling $54,249.00, from Briggs Auto Group. With this purchase, the Flint Hills Discovery Center will be able to enhance the programs that are already offered and provide new opportunities for guests to experience the Flint Hills.   

The FHDC Foundation was able to secure funds through the 2020 Friend of the Flint Hills fundraiser and the 2020 year-end appeal. It was the commitment of the Foundation to fund this van purchase at 100%, with no city tax dollars being used. In addition, the Foundation will provide funds for the FHDC to place a graphic wrap on the van.

“The opportunities for the FHDC programs to reach out and go into the Flint Hills are significantly increased with the capacity of the new 15 passenger van.” Said Bruce Snead, President of the FHDC Foundation.

To learn more about the programs offered at the FHDC please call 785-587-2726 or click here.

The FHDC Foundation functions to advance the mission and work of the Flint Hills Discovery Center through dynamic and vibrant development programs which identify, cultivate, solicit and express appreciation to donors of the Foundation. The Foundation seeks capital and programming, along with deferred and endowed gifts in support of the Flint Hills Discovery Center.