Whole Kids Foundation introduces 'Give Bees a Chance' campaign to Austin schools

To celebrate National Pollinator Month, an organization is working to raise funds to bring 50 new educational beehives to schools and nonprofits across the nation through their ‘Give Bees a Chance’ campaign.

On Sunday Charlie Buntz, a seventh grader at Austin Montessori, came out to the Texas Farmers' Market at Mueller to educate other kids about honeybees. He’s been a little bee-obsessed after his school got beehives.

“I’ve been interested in insects and stuff pretty much my entire life,” said Charlie. 

His school is one of the four in the Austin area to get into beekeeping. 

“I go outside check the bee’s open up the hives see how their doing we feed them with sugar water we have a big feeder but they also go out to the flowers and get nectar,” said Charlie. 

Through the Whole Kids Foundation, more than 400 beehive grants have been awarded to schools across the country. Last year they launched the ‘Give Bees A Chance' campaign and it’s been creating quite a buzz within the community. 

“He will have a connection with bees that he will take with him his entire life,” said Dustin Withers. 

Organizers with the nonprofit say students will be given the opportunity to learn about the important role bee’s play in our food system.  

“Bees pollinate pretty much everything without bees we wouldn’t have a lot of vegetables and fruits and flowers,” said Charlie. 

It also brings the wonder of bees and their hives up close to kids.

“Also bees kind of have this element of a little bit of danger because they could sting you and kids want to know more their curious you know about the truth about bees versus the warning,” said Withers. 

The program can help kids take sustainability into their own hands, now and in the future.                      

“Be able to understand and see how their amazing and how they fit into our world,” said Charlie. 

The organization has also provided gardens to local school in the area.