EDUCATION

The overall goal for the educational activities of the Colonial SWCD is to utilize efficient activities that allow for effective actions that improve water quality. Educational activities for the Colonial SWCD were prioritized during our Strategic Planning process, which will guide us through the next four years. The desired outcome is to provide strong educational programs that encourage ongoing positive environmental behavior for current and future generations.

The Educational portion of the Colonial SWCD for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 is:

Education Annual Plan of Work PY 2011

Ultimate Goal:
Utilize Efficient Activities that allow for Effective Actions that Improves Water Quality

  1. Promote Envirothon, create and distribute educational material, secure financial sponsorships.  (Education Committee Chair, jurisdictional Directors, District Mgr.)  High Priority
  2. Secure sponsorships for state scholarships and youth conservation and forestry camps.  (Education Committee Chair, jurisdictional Directors, District Mgr.)  Medium Priority
  3. Advance and support approved Teacher certification programs.  (Education Committee Chair, District Mgr.)  Medium Priority
  4. Continue to support in school activities with emphasis on hands on activities.  Low Priority
  5. Develop youth education section on website that offers interactive links and teacher survey.  Low Priority

Identified Partners:

Teachers, Students, Parents, Retired Educators, Volunteers

Responsible Committee Members:

  1. Education Committee Chairperson
  2. Committee Members as determined by Committee Chair

Responsible Staff:

  1. 1. All Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District Staff

Funding Strategy:

  1. Schools
  2. Federal and State Funding Sources
  3. Private Funding Sources

Desired Outcome:

Provide strong educational programs that encourage ongoing positive environmental behavior for current and future generations.


Envirothon is an internationally recognized environmental competition for 9th through 12th graders in Virginia and across the USA and Canada.

The Virginia Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students. Participants gain practical, career-related experience during in-depth study of five subject areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and a current environmental issue. The environmental issue for 2010 was “Protection of Groundwater through Urban, Agricultural and Environmental Planning”. Teams are comprised of five high school students, an alternate and a coach. Students are encouraged to develop their own programs of study, including seeking members of the community to provide instruction.

Teams compete at the local level first. The winning team from the local competition advances to the area competition. The top three teams from that competition then compete in the state competition, which determines the state representative to the National Canon Envirothon.

Jamestown High School (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools) represented the Colonial SWCD at the Area, State and National Envirothon Competitions in 2010.  The following article gives details about the 2010 National Envirothon competition.

YOUTH CONSERVATION CAMP

The Youth Conservation Camp is a week long summer camp for Virginia’s high school students (grades 9-12) held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Students learn about Virginia’s natural resources from conservation professionals and faculty from VA Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-on and outdoors.

Each year, the Colonial SWCD accepts applications to sponsor two campers to attend the weeklong session. The 2010 Youth Conservation Camp was held July 18-24, 2010.  Watch our website for details and application forms for the 2011 Youth Conservation Camp.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Each year Colonial SWCD staff joins the Virginia Cooperative Extension to host the 4th grade classes from New Kent County Public Schools at the Davis Farm. The students have hands-on experiences dealing with soils, best management practices (BMPs), fresh water ecosystems, salt water ecosystems, farm equipment and agricultural products. This educational opportunity allows students the chance to see and feel real life examples of things being taught as part of the Standard of Learning (SOL) curriculum.

The Colonial SWCD also offers other classroom presentations in supports of SOLs. Most of the classroom programs offered by the Colonial SWCD are of an informal nature, meaning the District staff and the teacher(s) determine the material which is to be covered. Contact the Colonial SWCD staff for more information.

TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

On July 8-9, 2009, the Colonial SWCD and the New Kent/Charles City Cooperative Extension Offices hosted the first “Area Environmental Science Teacher Certification Program”. Teachers could earn 16 credits for attending both days, plus 4 additional credits for lesson plan development after the event. The first day was spent at the Davis Farm in New Kent County and was devoted to learning about natural resource management, environmental science, plant science and agriculture. The second day was a conservation and agricultural tour, with stops at local businesses, residential developments and farms. Most of the instruction was hands-on and outdoors.

OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Not all educational programs are geared toward school aged students. Staff also makes presentations to Master Gardener Groups, local Boards of Supervisors, Planning Commissions and partnering governmental agencies. Contact the Colonial SWCD staff for more information on available programs.