The Environment Lives Here

From aquaculture to shipping, rivers, lakes, and oceans offer important resources to the cities built on their shores.  Sixth through 8th graders in one such city learned it was therefore especially important for their community to care for the water.

Under the guidance of their teachers and a neighborhood environmental association, the students studied one chronic problem: waste dumped into storm sewers.  They wrote articles and tips about what they'd learned, and distributed these flyers to residents near their school. 

While they hoped everyone would read the information, the students could not be sure the residents would remember it.  They knew a statement would be most effective if it could be seen from the storm sewers, so they researched how to safely stencil an environmental message next to every drain around their school.  The message was clear: "Don't Dump Waste. Drains to River."

Through this simple project, students learned so much, from everyday ways to care for an environment most dear to them to future jobs in neighborhood organizations and city public works.

Adapted from "Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas," © 1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.