E3 Washington Showcase News Articles (Newest to Oldest)
King County receives federal grants to fight obesity, tobacco
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- Puget Sound Video Released and Donated
- Environmental Education Online Courses offered through the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
- Success Story: Washington Potato Growers Award Greenhouses to Ten Elementary Schools
- World Oceans Day Launch of Marine Education Web Resource
- Students Sign Proclamation to Improve Water Quality in their Watershed
- Friends of the Cedar River Watershed honored with King County Leader in Community Stewardship Green Globe Award
King County receives federal grants to fight obesity, tobacco March 19, 2010 Contact: Matias Valenzuela 206-205-3331; James Apa 206-205-5442
Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County, and Dr. Jim Krieger, Chief of Public Health’s Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Section, will be available to speak with reporters today at 2 p.m. Executive Conference Room, first floor Chinook Building, 401 5th Ave (5th & Jefferson), Seattle. KING COUNTY, WA – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that Public Health - Seattle & King County has been awarded two highly-competitive federal stimulus grants totaling $25.5 million dollars over two years to address obesity and tobacco use, two of the leading contributors to premature illness, death and health care costs in the United States and locally. “It’s a huge credit to our Public Health staff and partners that we were able to get such a competitive grant to improve our community’s health,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. Over 600 communities applied for approximately 40 grant awards through the federal stimulus initiative. “This funding will support our community partners in accelerating changes that will reduce the human and economic costs of obesity and tobacco use,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. “Fighting obesity and tobacco use is a big part of improving Washington’s health,” Governor Chris Gregoire said. “These funds will go into communities where they’re greatly needed and can make a real difference. This is a wise and welcome investment in our state.” The grants will primarily fund community agencies, schools, businesses and local governments in working to change policies, systems and environments to make healthier choices easier and more accessible for everyone. The majority of the funding will be targeted to those communities in King County most affected by obesity and tobacco. Examples of activities include supporting corner stores in offering more healthy options, providing healthier foods in schools and childcare settings, restricting tobacco marketing and providing smoke-free environments, and promoting city planning, zoning and transportation that is pedestrian and bike friendly. Goals of the grant include: o Increase levels of physical activity and healthy nutrition o Decrease rates of overweight and obesity o Decrease smoking rates, smoking initiation by teens and exposure to secondhand smoke o Reduce health inequities by focusing on communities with the greatest disadvantage
To learn more about national Communities Putting Prevention to Work, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery and www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery. Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.9 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day. More at www.kingcounty.gov/health
"Who Lives in Puget Sound?", a DVD tour of local waters and their marine inhabitants, for grades 2 - 6, was released last spring and over 400 copies donated to regional school districts and marine science centers. The producer, Nancy Sefton, has won, 3 times, the American Library Assn. award "Notable Children's Media" for her educational nature videos. The new DVD combines colorful animation with stunning underwater video to show viewers how all living things underwater are related. She is offering additional copies for only $4 each to interested teachers in western Washington, grades 2 - 6, now through June lst, 2010. To order, contact nrsefton@comcast.net.
Environmental Education Online Courses offered through the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Register now for summer online courses for environmental educators! Registration deadline is May, 1st. http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/index.aspx • Fundamentals of EE: June 1 – August 20 • Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Audiences: June 1 – August 6 Scholarships available! Learn more at https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/scholarships.aspx Looking ahead to fall… Fall 2010 course offerings: • Leadership Development in Natural Resources: Strategic Planning and Implementation: September 20 – November 19 • Applied Environmental Education Program Evaluation: September 13 – December 10 • Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Audiences: September 13 – December 3 • Fundamentals of Environmental Education: September 13 – December 3 Course Details Fundamentals of Environmental Education A 12-week online course about the fundamentals of environmental education is appropriate for both classroom teachers and for non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers. Participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All students, regardless of location, are eligible for the in-state tuition rate. The course is also offered at a reduced cost for those who are not interested in obtaining college credit.
Fall 2010 course dates: September 13 – December 3 To learn more, visit the course web site: https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/fee_course_page.aspx *Scholarships available! Go to https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/fee_scholarship.aspx for more information. Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Audiences This 10-week on-line course is designed to provide participants with the basic knowledge and skills needed to make EE relevant to culturally diverse audiences. Through this course participants will broaden their perspective of EE to encompass interests and issues of concern to culturally diverse audiences, assess barriers to participation among these audiences, and apply cultural competency skills in building relationships and partnerships with members of an audience they intend to work with in the future. Environmental educators must understand how to work with and involve diverse populations to ensure that their perspectives are heard and that they participate fully in environmental decisions being made at the local, regional, and national levels. This online course has been developed in collaboration with national EE experts who represent diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, a working understanding of environmental education is essential for success in this course. Participants may obtain two undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. It is also available as a non-credit workshop for those that are not seeking college credit. All participants, regardless of location, are eligible for the in-state tuition rate. “I recently completed the "Making EE Relevant to Culturally Diverse Audiences" on-line course and it was WONDERFUL!! It provided great information and the suggestions that were given for the EE program at my refuge were helpful and will be considered when we evaluate our program soon. Not only was the course great now I have great references and contacts if I ever need help in the future. I would recommend this class to other service employees especially in areas where the demographics are changing and they are trying to reach the more non-traditional audiences.” ~ Fall 2008 MEER Course Participant Summer 2010 course dates: June 1 – August 6 Fall 2010 course dates: September 13 – December 3 *Note: MEER will be offered as a 3 credit, 12 weeks course starting Fall 2010 To learn more, visit the course web site: https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/makeEErelevant.aspx *Scholarships available! Go to https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/meer_scholarship.aspx for more information. Applied Environmental Education Program Evaluation This 13-week on-line course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource professionals in evaluating their education programs. Participants have the opportunity to develop and apply skills in designing evaluation tools such as surveys, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides. This course was developed as a cooperative effort between the Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) National Conservation Training Center. Participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All participants, regardless of location, are eligible for the in-state tuition rate. The course is also offered as a non-credit workshop for those who are not seeking college credit. “I thought it was a great introduction to a wide variety of tools and techniques and incredibly applicable to my current job and programs.” ~ Spring 2008 AEEPE course participant Summer 2010 course dates: June 1 – August 27 Fall 2010 course dates: September 13 – December 10 To learn more, visit the course web site: https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/aeepe_course_page.aspx *Scholarships available! Go to https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/aeepe_scholarship.aspx for more information. Leadership Development in Natural Resources: Strategic Planning and Implementation Learn how to develop successful strategic planning and implementation models, processes and techniques. Emphasis will be placed on managing the strategic planning process to build the capacity of organizations to provide effective environmental education programs. Course participants will also have an opportunity for individual consultation time with the course instructor to discuss specific issues/questions they might have regarding strategic planning. This course has been designed for environmental educators, natural resource professionals and graduate students who are currently involved in a strategic planning process or may become involved in one in the future. This is a 9-week course available for 2 graduate level credits through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. It is also available as a non-credit workshop. “Strategic planning is often misunderstood, misplaced and sometimes forgotten. So this course focuses on best practices for a successful process and its implementation.” - Dr. Corky McReynolds, Strategic Planning and Implementation course instructor Fall 2010 course dates: September 20 – November 19 To learn more, visit the course web site: https://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/spi_course_page.aspx Other Links: Online Course Website: http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/index.aspx EETAP website at http://www.eetap.org/
In the fifth year of a program to promote education on sustainable agriculture and nutrition, the Washington State Potato Commission and its primary partner, the International Greenhouse Company (IGC), awarded free greenhouses to ten elementary schools in the State. Four elementary schools in the Puget Sound area, four schools in greater Spokane and two in Tri-Cities received a free greenhouse, a cash grant and other benefits from the alliance. The competition focused earlier on the urban and suburban area of Puget Sound where students aren't as likely to be exposed to agriculture and may not have backyard gardens, according to Karen Bonaudi, Assistant Executive Director of the Commission, who runs the Kids Are Growing program. "This promotion is a really great way to give kids the opportunity to experience, first hand, the miracle of growing," said David George. "It really helps them understand where their food comes from and what it takes to produce it." Schools each receive a $1,000 grant, potato seed and educational materials from the Commission. "Teachers value the greenhouse program not only for the broad support it gives their curriculum, but also how it gets the parents and communities at large involved in what the schools and their kids are doing," said Bonaudi. Some schools in the past have grown vegetables for their lunch rooms with the help of their greenhouses, she said. The grants and other prizes are awarded and celebrated at assemblies at each of the winning schools. For more information: www.potatoes.com
Get Together Lead Green
Washington State Potato Commission Email: kbonaudi@potatoes.com Phone: 509-765-8845
June 8 - World Oceans Day - Washington Sea Grant announces Washington On Water (WOW), an online database for K-12 educators seeking marine education resources throughout the state. WOW provides links to organizations offering marine science-related classroom resources and field activities, as well as professional development and funding opportunities. WOW covers regional marine science from interior watersheds to the outer coast and features a simple user interface that allows quick identification of available resources. Washington Sea Grant will keep the site up to date to ensure the database remains comprehensive and current. Users can also submit suggestions for adding new programs and contributors. By facilitating connections among educators, scientists, industry, government and nonprofit organizations, Washington Sea Grant seeks to improve marine literacy in the state. Give WOW a try: http://www.wsg.washington.edu/wow Links to pertinent organizations or resources: http://www.wsg.washington.edu/wow http://www.theoceanproject.org/wod/ Which E3 Goals does the news item address? Connect Up Get Together Go Out
jkhahn@u.washington.edu Washington Sea Grant/ NOAA/ University of Washington
“Educational Service District 113’s (ESD 113) Chehalis Basin Education Consortium (CBEC) watershed education program is an exciting curriculum innovation. Students learn hands-on science, math, social studies, and language arts--all linked to the national and state standards. Some even link this watershed education program to the arts. A couple of the students in the region are finalists in the national program "River of Words" Contest”, explained Tom Hulst. On March 28th, guided by Tom Hulst, former assistant superintendent of ESD 113, and president-elect of E-3 Washington, the 12th annual Chehalis Basin Student Congress was conducted at Centralia College in Centralia. This congress was modeled originally after the Nisqually River Education Project and South Sound Green’s “Student GREEN Congress” that also takes place annually, this year at Evergreen State College on March 21st. Both events align with E3 Washington’s “Go Out” and “Get Together” Goals which are in support of getting students out of the classroom and collaborating with one another. Students had plenty to say when asked “What was the most important thing that you have learned through your participation in CBEC this year?” Responses such as “water is vital to all life”, “treat your river with respect and you will get to see more beginnings out of it”, and also, “I believe the most important thing I learned was the different ways to improve the water quality in the rivers we test” were a few of these responses. "Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold wrote concerning the importance of teaching about ‘places’. Adults should take great care in teaching youngsters to engage in the natural world in order to participate in meaning making, they wrote. Too often schools remain mute about place, and thus run the risk of ignoring the robust teaching opportunities that lie just outside the classroom door. Special outdoor places are abandoned as educators become engrossed in daily routines, lesson designs, and a rush to perform well on standardized tests” explained Master of Ceremonies Tom Hulst. CBEC Director Kathy Jacobson elaborated further on Hult’s comment by commenting, “Many teachers have shared that their favorite part of the program is building relationships with their kids. Their normal school day is often so busy that they don’t get the opportunity to see their students as individuals. When they go out to do their water quality testing and stream walk surveys they get the chance to form individual relationships with their students. These hands-on learning opportunities strengthen the relationship when students also see their teachers caring for their community”. At the congress, Student delegates from throughout the Chehalis Watershed met with resource professionals to share and analyze their water quality data, participate in hands-on workshops, and to develop plans to improve the health of the Chehalis Watershed. An observation given by a participating CBEC teacher stated, “This program gives students an opportunity to excel in other avenues other than sports and/or academics. This is an opportunity to get students outside and into their own environments.” Another teacher stated, “This provides real-life applications for biological sciences, active participation in their communities, and reinforces that they have a habitat just like any other animal that is a fragile system that we must watch. The Student Congress concluded with student representatives giving an on-stage presentation of their recommendations to improve water quality at not only of their testing sites but also in the Chehalis Watershed overall. Afterwards, all congress delegates were encouraged to sign the Chehalis Basin Student Congress Watershed Proclamation. The proclamation was a compilation of activities students will do to improve water quality. An example on one activity is: “Encourage the use of organic, slow release fertilizers to reduce nitrate levels …” And, “Plant trees and shrubs near rivers to lower temperature, reduce erosion and help shade the river.” These activities were brainstormed by the student representatives previously in the day as they shared their water quality data. The conclusion of the Congress was the presentation of the “David Deitz Watershed Steward Award”. Caitlyn Crocker, an 8th grader from Rochester Middle School, received the 2013 award for being an active and very enthusiastic steward for her watershed. Her science teacher Martin Woodruff noted that, “Caitlyn is quick to help out in any way she can and is always among the first to volunteer to clean-up the water testing site”. In addition, Caitlyn will be traveling to San Francisco in late April to receive an award for becoming an “International River of Words Art and Poetry” Contest Art finalist. Kathy Jacobson summarized the event by saying, “The overall goal is to allow young people to meet each other from all over the watershed, form relationships, share resources, and become leaders right now at protecting their local water quality monitoring sites.” "Early associations (in nature) stimulate some or all of our senses. These experiences provoke a feeling of belonging, create an emotional connection to a neighborhood and region, and give rise to a ‘sense of place and stewardship’. This appreciation for ‘place’ or one’s ‘ecological address’ can extend to other cultures, other faiths, and other people. In developing a sense of place a developmental sequence occurs beginning with a feeling of wonder and intense curiosity, budding to appreciation and respect, and finally maturing to stewardship and citizenship." – Tom Hulst
(SEATTLE, Wash.) – Friends of the Cedar Watershed (FCRW) have been awarded the 2013 King County Green Globes Awards for their Leadership in Community Stewardship throughout the greater Cedar River / Lake Washington Watershed. The work of FCRW is accomplished through three core programs: Volunteer Habitat Restoration, Cedar River Salmon Journey, and Stewardship In Action. “Friends of Cedar River Watershed (FCRW) bring substantial benefits to our community by connecting people to our natural environment, restoring habitat for our endangered salmon, and educating the public about our ecosystem,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “I congratulate FCRW on their Green Globe Award and commend them for their crucial role in preserving and restoring habitat and promoting environmental stewardship.” In 2012, FCRW mobilized 1,681 volunteers to share their time, energy, knowledge, and passion for the environment with thousands of people from all over Western Washington. Volunteer naturalists educated over ten thousand people about how the health of our salmon is inexorably linked to the health of all of us. Additional volunteers removed masses of invasive plants and planted over ten thousand native species, while almost 300 local landowners received assistance controlling invasive plant species so that native plants can be put in their place to stabilize shorelines and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. “The goal of our work is to connect the dots so that we are all empowered to make this watershed healthy for the long-run. It is so exciting to be recognized today in the company of so many innovative groups and individuals who are making conservation and sustainability work tangible for all of us,” states FCRW Executive Director, Keri Pravitz. The six-person staff of FCRW attributes their success to the many hands of their growing volunteer-base, many who show up to educational programs and habitat restoration projects on a regular basis. Each event that FCRW coordinates has an educational and social component built-in to ensure that people connect the day’s event to the health of the larger watershed and overall community. Repeat volunteer, Pedro Checkos puts it this way “I volunteer with FCRW to connect with nature; to feel useful. When you do something good, where the people are friendly, it just makes you feel so good to be a part of that story. Established in 1996, Friends of the Cedar River Watershed (FCRW) is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the health of the Cedar River/Lake Washington Watershed. They engage people to enhance and sustain watersheds through restoration, education, and stewardship. Rebecca Sayre Outreach Manager
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