This project provides funding to the grantee to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to…

This project grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951) provides $136,062 to the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), a non-profit organization in Bellingham, Washington, to implement an environmental education initiative called "Future Leaders of Whatcom Waters (FLOW)".

The key products and services to be delivered under this grant include: 1) Providing 24 university students majoring in environmental science or studies with 300-hour paid internships to gain career-building skills and practical experience in environmental education and restoration; 2) Delivering classroom lessons, outdoor field experiences, and climate science training for 1,600 K-12 students and 100 teachers in Whatcom County; and 3) Engaging 2,000 community volunteers in watershed health and salmon habitat restoration projects. The project includes subawards to Western Washington University, Whiteswan Environmental, Excellence Northwest, Opportunity Council, and American Red Cross to support intern recruitment and professional development.

This project provides funding to the grantee 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 whatcom county, washington. The grantee will do this by their future leaders of whatcom waters (flow) program which will help educate and help the younger population. Thru a competitive process, the program will target 24 students with declared majors in either environmental science or environmental studies from western washington university (WWU) college of the environment. The grantee alongside WWU have designed these certificate programs with a paid internship and the intention of exposing historically underrepresented students to the field of environmental restoration and building upon their academic pathway with real-world job skill building. The organization's priority is to position young professionals into safe leadership positions with training and mentorship on how to teach, in both formal and non-formal settings, about environmental issues, solutions and stewardship for the purpose of encouraging interest in gratifying careers in the environmental field. Activities:this project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues in whatcom county, washington and provide university students, students, teachers, community members the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. The university interns will lead the following activities for this project: classroom lessons and outdoor field experiences for 4TH grade students; preschool groups with nature-based connections; climetime workshops and training classroom teachers with climate science curricula to implement student action projects; the nooksack river stewards program greeting tourists and residents; and the stream stewards program connecting partners and volunteers to salmon habitat restoration projects. IT is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables: university interns each complete 300 hours of job training through the paid internships with the grantee; 4TH grade students will complete the students of salmon program; teachers will attend workshops to increase climate science teaching practices; and sites are secured for the restoration events in rural locations.subrecipient:this project includes five subawards. The subawards will be awarded to western washington university, whiteswan environmental, excellence northwest, opportunity council, and american red cross. All subawards will enhance the project by helping with the recruitment of interns and providing professional development training to those interns. Outcomes:expected outcomes of the project include short - 24 university students are selected for the certificate program and the interns increase their career building skills; medium - 2,000 volunteers have an increased understanding of watershed health for rural communities; and long-term outcome - 1,600 students further their academic pathways toward environmental science and stewardship and the university students will fulfill careers in environmental education. The intended beneficiaries include 24 university students, 1,724 students, 100 teachers, and 2,600 community members in whatcom county, washington.