Lake Erie Junior Nature & Science Center
Discover the Universe in Your Backyard
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Nature is important to children’s intellectual, emotional, social and physical development. Numerous commentaries about “nature deficit disorder” are in publication today as our world has become more urbanized and technologically focused. Opportunities for very young children and school-aged children to interact with, learn about, and experience nature are becoming more uncommon as society tends toward structured environments and learning modes. Many children have become isolated from exploring nature and understanding their environment due to increased time using technological devices. The result is that many children are not familiar with positive attributes of natural landscapes and its various living organisms, nor responsibility they have to become stewards of their environment as they grow to adulthood. Similarly, families with increasingly demanding schedules have a need for high quality family time in places that afford young children repeatable experiences as they grow.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
School Services, Preschool and Public Programs
The Center focuses on giving young children and school-age students hands on experiences to discover the natural world. Its resources are wildlife, exhibits, planetarium and park setting near the shores of Lake Erie. In the last year, the Center served more than 23,000 preschoolers and their parents through various early childhood programs including our nature-based preschool classes. The Center served more than 4,500 Girl, Cub and Boy Scouts with approximately 70 unique Scout programs. More than 14,000 students from kindergarten to college participated in summer camps, school programs and field trips, involving Physical, Life, Earth and Space Science concepts. The Center works with teachers and curriculum specialists to ensure that field trips are aligned to Ohio academic content standards. Project Wildlife is a youth service learning program that provides high school students hands-on learning with native animals, which is an experience unique to the Center.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of free admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Families
Related Program
School Services, Preschool and Public Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Free admission, 7 days each week, allows visitors to enjoy indoor and live animal exhibits and displays about space science and natural history in an accessible family friendly facility.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Informal science education for children is the overarching goal of the Center utilizing our unique combination of resources: a wildlife rehabilitation facility, planetarium, natural science exhibits, and live animal displays, all within a parkland setting near Lake Erie. The Center employs full time and part time staff who are experienced and trained professionals with credentials in early childhood education, astronomy, physics, wildlife rehabilitation, biology, and natural history. Instructors provide interactive learning experiences in a wide variety of ongoing programs that encourage children to develop an attitude of inquiry and respect for the natural world.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The mission of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center “to educate and inspire all of us to understand, appreciate and take responsibility of the natural world.” Our means of accomplishing this mission are programs and services and enjoyment of the facility and its exhibits. Programs and services include learning experiences facilitated by a staff member which are school field trips, seasonal family events, preschool programs, planetariums shows, wildlife programs, wildlife intakes and inquiries and scout programs. In addition to these scheduled learning experiences, admission to the facility is free to all allowing visitors to enjoy indoor and outdoor exhibits about natural history, space science and wildlife including live animals. Our goal is to help educate people through all of these means, and ideally provide this education through repeated visits over the course of a child’s development years.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Center is both a children’s museum and nature center with a distinct pairing of teaching expertise and science resources in one location. Our highly trained and experienced staff of full-time and part-time employees have credentials in early childhood education, astronomy, physics, wildlife rehabilitation, biology and natural history. Embodying scientific background along with service-oriented people skills, our instructors give visitors of all ages enthusiastic and effective learning experiences. The Center’s wildlife rehabilitation program is the only one in Cuyahoga County, receiving intakes from the public to its recently upgraded and expanded facility. Our recently transformed planetarium is one of two public access domes in the Cleveland area, featuring a dual projection system and new sound and lighting. The Center's location in a park setting within walking distance of Lake Erie provides an outdoor classroom highlighting natural history in a variety of landscapes.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The results of the mission impact survey are positive and build evidence of our mission relevancy. The overwhelming majority of respondents mostly visit to see to indoor/outdoor exhibits, 95.4% agreed that we help them gain a better understanding of the natural world, and 83.2% agreed that they return to the Center to take part in additional programs. Mixed responses were received about whether the Center has inspired them to ignite a new hobby or join a community effort, 54.6% agreed and 32.7% were indifferent. Demographic information was also collected. Approximately 400 responses were received, which is approximately 10% greater than response to previous efforts.
Using the survey results , the Board of Directors and staff leadership created Strategic Plan for 2022-2024 and evaluates progress each quarter.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
surveys are issued to people who have provided an email address, and they are anonymous
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Lake Erie Junior Nature & Science Center
Board of directorsas of 09/05/2023
John Cavalier
Cohen & Company
Term: 2022 - 2024
Zach Stephens
Deloitte
Term: 2024 - 2022
Devin Barry
Thompson Hine LLP
Bruce Cady
IBM, retired
John Cavalier
Cohen & Company
Bryan Gacka
Ernst & Young
Eric German
Bober Markey Fedorovich
Zachary Stephens
Deloitte & Touche LLP
R. Scott Thomas
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Allen Waddle
Maloney + Novotny
William P. Watkins
Harris Williams & Co. subsidiary of PNC
Jeffrey M. Whitesell
Tucker Ellis
Char Shryock
Education Consulting
Phillip M. Callesen
BakerHostetler
Trudy Pauken
Retired, Westlake City Schools
Dan Coil
JACK Entertainment
Joy Evans
Nordson Corporation
Lisa Fallon
Penumbra
Monica Newell
Key
Iken Sans
The Lubrizol Corporation
Neil Whitford
Calfee
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/28/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.