Project Grant 02J25201

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO KENAI WATERSHED FORUM 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 KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA. THIS PROJECT WILL FOSTER INTERCONNECTIVITY BETWEEN FORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF ALASKAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BY WORKING WITH UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND STUDENTS TO INFUSE TRADITIONAL APPLICATION INTO A CULTURALLY SUSTAINING AND PLACE-BASED CURRICULUM. THE GRANTEE WILL EXPAND THE DELIVERY OF THE ADOPT-A-STREAM CURRICULUM TO CO-CREATE AND DELIVER WATERSHED EDUCATION GROUNDED IN LOCAL CULTURE TO UNDERSERVED YOUTH, STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES AND BUILD MORE MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS IN RURAL KENAI PENINSULA COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE KENAI PENINSULA COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD WILL SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF HIGH-LEVEL CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND DISSEMINATION OF WATER QUALITY CURRICULA TO K-12 STUDENTS WHILE DELIVERING LEARNER-CENTERED, CULTURALLY SUSTAINING CURRICULUM THROUGH POSITIVE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES TO TITLE I SCHOOLS, TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES. THE GRANTEE STAFF WILL WORK WITH TEACHERS AT 15-20 SCHOOLS REACHING ABOUT 750 STUDENTS TO SCHEDULE MONTHLY CREEK AND CLASSROOM VISITS WHICH EDUCATE STUDENTS IN CRUCIAL WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS, SALMON LIFE CYCLE, MACROINVERTEBRATES, STREAM ECOLOGY, AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT. WITH THE FOCUS ON LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS, THE ADOPT-A-STREAM CURRICULUM GUIDES STUDENTS TO ADOPT AND MONITOR NEARBY CREEKS, TO HELP THE STUDENTS GAIN REAL-WORLD CONTEXT AND CULTIVATE THEIR ABILITY TO REASON USING EVIDENCE FROM THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. SUBRECIPIENT:FIVE SUBAWARDS WILL BE AWARDED THROUGH A CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WITH A PREFERENCE GIVEN TO SUBAWARDEES WORKING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. SUBAWARDEES WILL HELP IN DELIVERING THE WATERSHED EDUCATION GROUNDED IN LOCAL CULTURE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.OUTCOMES:THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE IN NUMBER OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATING IN WATERSHED EDUCATION AND INCREASE MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AND CO-CREATED CURRICULUM. THE GRANTEE AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAM GAIN CRUCIAL INFORMATION IN TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND MOTIVATION TO PROTECT HABITAT AND ENVIRONMENT AND ENTHUSIASM IN EXPLORING IN NATURE AND LOCAL AREAS.