Project Grant 96700101

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO EXISTING UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - LINCOLN 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 THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO CONDUCTING GROUNDWATER QUALITY TESTING FROM PRIVATE DOMESTIC WELLS IN RURAL AREAS NEAR THEIR CITY OR TOWN. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY SPLIT SAMPLES ARE TESTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN (UNL) WATER SCIENCES LABORATORY AND RESULTS ARE SENT BACK TO EACH SCHOOL AND THE PARTICIPATING WELL OWNERS. THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE ASSESSING THE DRINKING WATER QUALITY OF RURAL DOMESTIC WELLS THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY TESTING AND IN TURN HELP OTHERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY LEARN MORE AND POTENTIALLY EVEN TAKE ACTIONS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR HEALTH.ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN CENTRAL PLATTE NRD, PAPIO-MISSOURI RIVER NRD, AND A THIRD YET TO BE IDENTIFIED NRD TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: INVOLVING CITIZEN SCIENTISTS IS VALUABLE FOR YOUTH INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT, GENERATES INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CAREERS, AND EDUCATES CONSUMERS ABOUT THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF WELL WATER CONTAMINATION. THE RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE USED FOR ASSESSING WATER QUALITY IN AREAS WHERE THE CURRENT REGULATION DOES NOT EXTEND TO TEST WATER QUALITY AND LINKED TO HEALTH EFFECTS AND OUTCOMES. IMPROVED WATER LITERACY WILL HELP IN THE MONITORING PROGRAMS OF THE STATE AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH.SUBRECIPIENT:FIVE SUBAWARD WILL BE GIVEN TO: NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS: CENTRAL PLATTE NRD, PAPIO-MISSOURI RIVER NRD, LOWER ELKHORN NRD, CHADRON STATE COLLEGE, AND UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY. SUBAWARDEES WILL BE WORKING WITH TEACHERS IN THEIR DISTRICTS TO SUPPORT THE CURRICULUM AND FIELD AND WELL TESTING TO IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. . OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: PRACTICAL TRAINING, TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING, YOUTH WATER SCIENCE EDUCATION, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARE ALL TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT. MOREOVER, THIS PROJECT WILL CONNECT YOUTH AND THEIR TEACHERS WITH EXPERTISE AT THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR MAKING SCIENCE-BASED INTERPRETATIONS OF DOMESTIC WELL CONTAMINATION, CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, AND SOLUTIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE ASSESSING THE DRINKING WATER QUALITY OF RURAL DOMESTIC WELLS THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. TARGET AUDIENCES FOR THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL AND VOLUNTEER SCIENCE EDUCATORS IN RURAL AND AGRICULTURALLY INTENSIVE AREAS WITH GROUNDWATER QUALITY ISSUES IN THE US. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: WE WILL ESTABLISH LINKAGE BETWEEN LAND USE, WELL CONSTRUCTION, HYDROGEOLOGY, AND OTHER FACTORS TO GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION. WE 3 WILL ALSO ASSESS THE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (PRE-PROJECT, MID-LEVEL, AND END) TO OBSERVE THEIR LEARNING PROGRESSION. FINALLY, MENTORING AND GUIDANCE WILL BE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO YOUTH BY UNIVERSITY SCIENTISTS, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND OTHER PARTNERS WHICH MAY IMPACT CAREER DECISIONS.