This project provides funding to conservancy for cuyahoga valley national park to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and…

This project provides funding to conservancy for cuyahoga valley national park to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in cleveland, OH and northwest, indiana. The grantee will do this by hosting a shared staff professional development with subject matter experts about the region's water quality issues. Hosting a professional development for high school teachers with ongoing support for teachers ambassadors throughout the project. Hosting overnight immersive programming for high school students - plus day programs for additional teachers and students, focused on watershed education, and problem-solving a related issue in their community. Facilitating community action projects determined by each class with the support of a community partner, and funded by sub-awards that address a local and regional issue they have learned about. Through immersive learning and community action projects, students will learn to think critically about their role in the health of the great lakes and the impact they can have as environmental stewards. Activities:this project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues in cleveland, ohio and northwest, indiana and provide educators and students the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. Activities to be performed during this project period include: multi-day professional development experiences for high school teachers with subject matter experts about the region's water quality and localized environmental and health impacts; overnight immersive programming for over 500 middle and high school students; and day programs for 40 teachers and 300 students focused on watershed education, current and historical environmental and health issues and problem solving in their community. The project will culminate in collaborative work with a community partner to solve a watershed issue in their community. Subrecipient:subawards will be given to eligible entities to implement the ambassador program and support participation in teacher professional development, and community action projects. Outcomes:IT is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables: teacher ambassadors will design, implement and share both lessons and resources with students. Expected outcomes of the project include: both educators and students participating in a field experience about water quality, educators having the resources including local and regional network connections to implement community action projects with their students and educators sharing what they've learned so additional educators. The intended beneficiaries include students and teachers in cleveland, OH and northwest indiana.