Project Eaglet receives annual funding from Kiwanis Club of Statesboro 

May 7, 2025

It doesn’t take long for a hush to fall over a group of second graders from the Bulloch County School System as the Georgia Southern University Planetarium presentation begins. As the great expanses of outer space begin to unfurl on the large domed screen, “oohs” and “ahhs” come from the crowd. 

Meanwhile, fourth graders are a few buildings over, checking out the Gretsch School of Music instrument collection at the Performing Arts Center. The first graders are right down the road, taking in the beauty of the Botanic Gardens. More students will visit the beautiful Georgia Southern campus in the fall, with third graders visiting the Museum while fifth graders are will learn all about the animals that make up our southeastern region at the Center for Wildlife Education. 

These students are all a part of Project Eaglet, a joint venture between Georgia Southern University and Bulloch County Schools, funded by the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, that began in 2022. The program is designed to get elementary students out of the classroom and onto campus to experience incredible learning opportunities at Georgia Southern. 

“The children are getting to have these experiences right here at Georgia Southern, in their own backyard,” explained Georgia Southern Museum director and Project Eaglet coordinator Brent Tharp, Ph.D. “They get to really experience the incredible diversity right here in our community.” 

Project Eaglet is a passion project for the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro and an initiative that perfectly aligns with their mission of service to children.  

“We need to make sure kids at this very vulnerable age see that there’s a much bigger world out there, that there are opportunities for them beyond what they are learning now,” explained Dyana Ellis, Kiwanis Project Eaglet chair. “One of the best ways to do that is to expose them to higher learning environments.” 

Assistant Superintendent of Bulloch County Schools Brad Boykin, Ph.D., agrees, saying that the Project Eaglet experience is all worth it. 

“You get to see these light bulb moments that happen with the kids,” explained Boykin. “This opportunity for our students to participate in these hands-on activities pays dividends as the students forge a connection with the University.”

But getting those kids from their schools to campus isn’t as easy as it might sound. There’s transportation to consider, both to and from the campus, as well as lunch. Those costs add up quickly.

That’s where the Kiwanis Club comes in. They recently presented a check for $25,000 to Georgia Southern to help with those costs, with Project Eaglet continuing into the 2025-26 year. Even though it’s a big operation, Tharp says he’s just happy to be a part of making the project work. 

“I had a great opportunity to be part of organizations like these as a kid in school,” he explained. “I want that same opportunity for young kids now too. Even if they don’t end up being a professional in the field, they have a foundation already for appreciation of it. This is a great opportunity that other school systems around do not often have.”