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KIRKSVILLE - MO -- In celebration of Earth Day, local students in Kirksville got a huge contribution to help fund a new outdoor educational site.

Sunday afternoon, behind the Ray Miller Elementary School, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to celebrate the Green Thumb Project.

The project started in 2009 as an after school gardening progrram between Truman students and Kirksville R-3 school district students.

Around 35 college and high school students work with elementary school kids to plant seeds and learn other aspects of outdoor education.

Sunday, the project received a $10,000 grant from Lowe's which will create a new outdoor education site.

"We really look forward to doing different projects that just bring the kids enlightment, teach them something and help the community," said Jeff Holmes of Lowe's.

"I'm really excited for how it's going to change the lives of the people in this community, by offereing a way to source our food locally, offering new ideas of education outside the traditional classroom and just by strengthening our communuty at large," said Brockell Briddle of Green Thumb Project.

The outdoor education site will encompass appoximately 2.5 acres of land behind Ray Miller Elementary school.