Virginia Coastal Program: 2000 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2000 Task 4
Grantee:
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Environmental Education
Project Title:
Environmental Education
Project Description as Proposed:
This project is
a proactive array of environmental education activities that will
educate and train coastal area citizens, educators, local government
staff, and students with the goal of affecting positive behavior
changes toward the environment. There are two major thrusts: 1)
providing current information to citizens, educators, students,
and other key audiences; and 2) "training the trainer,"
i.e., training, informing, and motivating educators, youth group
sponsors, volunteers, and other community leaders who in turn work
with citizens, community volunteers, teachers, and students. Staff
will also work closely with the Coastal Program Outreach Coordinator
to ensure effective information sharing, broad promotion of program
materials, and linkages among state and local education programs.
.The major activity of this grant is the promotion of Project WET
(Water Education for Teachers), which instructs educators in an
age-appropriate curriculum pertaining to all aspects of water science
and management. Workshops are conducted, outreach materials produced
and interagency programs coordinated to reach approximately 1,500
educators and thousands of citizens annually through the following:
Project WET, Virginia Naturally 2000, River of Words watershed contest,
the Annual Environmental Education Conference, the Environmental
Education Resources Directory, the Water Wizard Van, the Kid's CAVE
(Caring About Virginia's Environment), and the Virginia Bay Education
Plan (Bay Directive 98-01).
Federal Funding:
$78,734
Project Contact:
Ann Regn, 804.698.4442
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Project
WET (water education for teachers) is a nationally developed, supplementary
water education program for educators. WET workshops are conducted
by one of Virginia's 168 trained volunteer facilitators. Participants
are exposed to various hands-on activities and a curriculum that
addresses the scientific, historical, and cultural aspects of water
as well as contemporary management issues. Upon completion of the
workshop, participants receive a free copy of the Project WET Curriculum
& Activity Guide, containing over 90 complete lessons. This
grant provides support for Project WET training, dissemination of
materials, and environmental education (EE) opportunities to Virginia
citizens throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Project WET staff recruited volunteer instructors, ordered supplies,
and either coordinated or conducted
20 Project WET or Our Living Environment (combined Project WET,
WILD, and Learning Tree) workshops for 484 educators. In addition
to teacher workshops, Project WET staff plan and conduct educational
events for children, such as the Virginia Ground Water Festival.
This past year's festival took place on September 21st at Camp Kittamaqund.
One hundred and forty Northumberland County sixth graders were taught
by 40 volunteers -- including a senior ecology class from Northumberland
High School. The Fluvanna County Field Day and Brookland Middle
School's Ecology Day reached approx. 240 students. Other educational
events conducted and supported by Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) staff include: the annual Virginia Watershed Conference, the
Virginia Association of Science Teachers conference, Henrico Field
Day, Operation Spruce Up, Lake Page Night, Boy Scout Jamboree, etc.
In addition, DEQ worked with the Wintergreen Nature Foundation to
deliver an annual Environmental Education Conference in August,
2001 for 55 teachers.
Project WET staff coordinate the River of Words (ROW) International
Poetry and Art contest. ROW encourages students to learn their ecological
address (watershed) through the arts. Teachers are provided with
a ROW information and activity guide. Last year, 470 students submitted
entries for both the International contest and Virginia's own ROW
competition. The 65 state winners were honored by then Secretary
of Natural Resource, John Paul Woodley Jr., at an awards ceremony
at the Library of Virginia in June, 2001. Their entries were placed
on the Secretary's website at www.snr.state.va.us/specal_features/.
Information has been mailed to over 230 teachers in support of this
year's competition.
Virginia Naturally (www.vanaturally.com) is the official environmental
education network for the Commonwealth. The newly created Virginia
Office of Environmental Education (VOEE) at DEQ administers and
coordinates Virginia Naturally in support of Task 4 coastal efforts.
To date, 650 organizations have become partners in the effort to
promote life long learning and environmental stewardship. Through
broadcast email, the on-line interactive calendar of events and
the environmental education directory, VA Naturally connects citizens
of the commonwealth to environmental stewardship opportunities.
VOEE staff has distributed 1200 VA Naturally information packets
and is maintaining a database of over 800 partners. In January,
2001 VOEE staff took over maintenance of the VA Naturally website.
12 monthly broadcast emails were sent to over 800 individuals and/or
organizations to keep them informed of EE news and events.
See our VOEE web page for details and photos of events: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/education/
Form C end
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
