Cooperative Agreement NA25NMFX457C0027

THE NOAA CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (B-WET) PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDING A 2-YEAR, $100,000 GRANT TO LIVING CLASSROOMS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION TO SUPPORT THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED HIGH SCHOOL MEANINGFUL WATERSHED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES (MWEE) PROJECT. THIS PROJECT WILL BE TARGETED AT DELIVERING MWEES FOR 9TH-12TH GRADE STUDENTS IN FIVE TO EIGHT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS LOCATED WITHIN THE ANACOSTIA RIVER WATERSHED PER SCHOOL YEAR. THE MWEE WILL INVESTIGATE THE QUESTION: WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR COMMUNITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND BIODIVERSITY, AND WHAT CAN WE, AS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, DO ABOUT IT? THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL USE SCHOOLYARDS AND KINGMAN AND HERITAGE ISLANDS CONSERVATION AREA IN THE ANACOSTIA RIVER AS OUTDOOR FIELD EXPERIENCE SITES. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL LEARN ABOUT EXISTING CLIMATE MODELS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLANS AFFECTING THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED, AND WILL CONSIDER WHAT PERSONAL AND SCHOOL-WIDE EFFORTS CAN BE TAKEN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND AT KINGMAN AND HERITAGE ISLANDS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE EVENTS LIKE FLOODING AND URBAN HEAT ISLANDS. STUDENTS WILL USE WHAT THEY LEARN TO CONDUCT STUDENT-DESIGNED ACTION PROJECTS THAT INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IN THE COMMUNITY, PROMOTE OWNERSHIP OF EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS, AND ENCOURAGE LIFELONG CLIMATE STEWARDSHIP. TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE 30 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE AGENCY TO PARTIALLY IMPLEMENT THE MWEE AFTER THEIR FIRST YEAR OF PARTICIPATION.