Over 15 attendees gathered in Spokane, WA to learn about how agencies around the Northwest are educating the next generation on the importance of water. Presentation included:
- Engaging the Community with the RiverHealth Stewardship Grant Program - Gail Shaloum and Todd Loggan, Clackamas Water Environment Services With limited staff allocated to watershed restoration and watershed health education, Clackamas Water Environment Services relies on partners to round out our restoration and education work. We use a competitive grant program to select the partners and projects each year. Through the RiverHealth Stewardship Program, WES has been able to involve the community in improving watershed health, educating students and the community, while also satisfying our stormwater permit requirements. Learn how we developed the grant program and how it has progressed in its ten years.
- Clean Water University - Loralyn Spiro, City of Springfield & Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission; PNCWA Communication & Outreach Committee Chair the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission and the City of Springfield, along with the City of Eugene and support from other community partners, offer the Clean Water University program to Eugene-Springfield area 5th grade classes, free of charge. Traditionally held in person in the fall at the MWMC’s Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, Clean Water University provides an opportunity to learn about wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water. The program’s overarching goal is to teach students about the importance of clean water.
- No Child Left Inside – Spokane County’s Water Education Program - Laura Goff and RaeAnn Nolander, Spokane County Public Works Join Spokane County Water Resource Educators to learn about the Wetland Explorers curriculum and field experience that hosted over 1700 5th graders over 6 weeks at the newly restored Saltese Wetlands and Doris Morrison Learning Center. The program immersed students and teachers in genuine field science at, and in, the wetland to learn about water quality, the value of a managed wetland habitat and the beneficial role that wetlands play in our ecosystem and community. This is the outdoor learning component of our water education efforts in Spokane County.
- Water Wise Spokane: Driving Conservation through Strategic Communication and Community Engagement - Kristen Zimmer, City of Spokane Explore the Water Wise Spokane program’s approach to water conservation, focusing on how strategic communication has influenced resident behavior and fostered community involvement. Highlights include partnerships with local agencies, such as working with the Spokane Fire Department to enhance water efficiency in public facilities and promoting the successful SpokaneScape program to encourage sustainable landscaping practices. This presentation will provide actionable ideas, enhanced by social marketing strategies, to strengthen your outreach and drive real impact.
The camp also included a Tour of Spokane County’s Water Reclamation Facility by host Hannah Thomascall, Spokane County Public Works – The content for the general public tour of Spokane County’s Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) will be presented to the tour group. Verbal explanations, graphics, and physical samples will describe the processes used at the treatment plant to communicate how each process treats wastewater. Proceeds from the Communications Camp go toward PNCWA’s Adopt-a-School grant program, managed by the Communication and Outreach Committee. This program funds K-12 educational projects focused on water and the environment.