This project will engage local environmental educators, teachers, and students in the nisqually and south puget sound watersheds

This $196,869 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will support the Nisqually River Foundation's engagement of local environmental educators, teachers, and students in watershed education programs. Over the two-year period from August 2021 to July 2023, the Foundation will provide Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training to at least 25 educators. It will incorporate this content into engagement activities across Thurston County involving more than 120 teachers, including all fifth grade teachers in the North Thurston Public Schools district. Early professional development will include water quality monitoring training, salmon climate literacy programs, an educational experience summit, and a summer institute for teachers. Funded under NOAA's Marine Sanctuary Program (CFDA 11.429), these efforts aim to frame watershed educational experiences in the context of the local Nisqually and South Puget Sound areas through monitoring, resource provision, and preparatory training.

Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (jedi) training will reach at least 25 local environmental educators, and this content will be incorporated into teacher and student engagement across thurston county. More than 120 teachers, including all of the 5TH grade teachers within the ntps, will participate in professional development front loaded to the first year of the grant period through the following: WQ monitoring training (wqmt), salmon climate literacy monitoring and action in south sound (clamss), action meaningful watershed educational experience (mwee) summit, assessment retreat, and summer institute for teachers (sift). Wqmt will frame the mwee's in the context of the local watersheds, teach monitoring protocols outlined in our quality assurance project plans, provide resources aligned with local, state and national learning standards, and prep TE