WNG
About the Cause

Turning classroom awareness into real-world action.

Wild, Not Gone is a student-led campaign giving a voice to critically endangered species through storytelling, art, and direct conservation support.

About the cause hero

"Species don't disappear all at once. They fade — quietly, gradually, and often unnoticed."

Wild, Not Gone exists to slow that disappearance by making endangered species visible, understandable, and remembered.

Why Endangered Species?

Endangered species are often lost through slow, cumulative pressures like habitat loss, climate change, and human activity long before most people notice.

Biodiversity

Keeps ecosystems stable and resilient.

Species health

Reflects ecosystem health.

Environmental heritage

Our shared natural legacy is worth protecting.

North American endangered species collection

What Wild, Not Gone Is—and Is Not

Clear boundaries keep the focus on learning and make expectations explicit.

Pros

What it is

Educational

Built on research and clear communication.

Research-based

Students use credible, age-appropriate sources.

Student-led

Young researchers shape the public content.

Awareness-focused

Understanding comes before action.

Cons

What it is not

Not activism

No political campaigning or advocacy.

Not professional research

Students are learners, not scientists.

Not alarmist

Tone is responsible and grounded.

Not fundraising alone

Fundraising supports education, not the other way around.

What Students Do

Research becomes understanding, understanding becomes awareness.

Research

Synthesize data from credible sources to document habitat and population trends.

Create

Write educational content for Wild, Not Gone to foster public understanding and reduce fear.

Impact

Turn awareness into real-world conservation support through community engagement and merchandise.

Awareness and Fundraising

The student-created book and collectible pins raise awareness while supporting conservation efforts tied to the featured species.

Student-created book

Student-created book

A conservation book that deepens understanding and supports species protection.

Learn About the Book
Collectible pins

Collectible pins

Pins keep species stories visible in daily life while funding conservation partners.

Explore the Pins

Why This Approach Matters

Endangered species conservation is complex. There are no simple solutions. By focusing on research, clarity, and responsibility, we teach students that meaningful engagement requires patience, humility, and care.

A Growing Cause

Future student-led collections can expand the Wild, Not Gone story.

Endangered aquatic species

Focus on river, lake, and ocean habitats.

Endangered birds

Highlight migration, nesting, and habitat loss.

Endangered reptiles or mammals

Explore specialized ecosystems and recovery work.

Threatened ecosystems

Connect species to larger habitat systems.

Part of Metro Prep Impact

Wild, Not Gone is one expression of Metro Prep's action-based learning model.

Action-based learning

Students apply research to real-world projects with purpose.

Student-led inquiry

Learners shape the investigation and the public outcomes.

Reflective practice

Projects close with reflection, not performance.