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Blandford School
Studying the complex flora and fauna associated with Blandford Nature Center's Brandywine Creek, investigating the challenges to this unique freshwater ecosystem and implementing solutions designed to protect and enhance Brandywine Creek.
After researching and conducting experiments related to the flora, fauna and watershed issues affecting the Creek Blandford School students created a plan to inform neighboring residents of their backyard natural treasure and water quality concerns affecting it. Their goal was to increase the community's understanding of Brandywine Creek's ecological dynamics. Students incorporated this information into their work as trail guides for other school children visiting the Nature Center, produced brochures, pamphlets and two web pages as part of their educational outreach.
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City Middle School
Mapping nutrient runoff from the Huff Park neighborhood.
City Middle School students worked to define the topography of the Huff Park tributary and the area feeding into the park wetlands so that they could better understand where runoff from the neighborhood is an issue and contributes to poor water quality through nutrient overloads in the creek and wetlands. This educational effort was targeted at protecting the natural water filtration system of the wetlands of Huff Park.
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East Rockford Middle School
Creating a building-wide recycling program.
East Rockford Middle School students worked to establish a building-wide recycling program that includes plastics (numbers 1 and 2), paper, cardboard, telephone books, magazines and e-waste. Recyclable items which are thrown away instead increase landfill needs, pollute waterways, and in many instances, contaminate groundwater. This recycling project impacted the watershed immediately while creating a sense of responsibility in the school community. East Rockford students made presentations to school district administrators and wrote letters to the board of education to advocate for district wide implementation of their recycling program which outlined recycling facts and the benefits of this policy. They also shared information about the program with the surrounding community to build awareness and encourage all families to responsibly recycle, reuse, and reduce their volume of trash.
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Forest Hills Eastern Middle School
Investigating campus wide storm water runoff and instituting landscaping practices to lessen river contamination.
Students worked to determine how the Eastern campus contributes to the issue of storm water runoff and looked into the use of best management practices to minimize the amount of contaminants the campus adds to the Grand River. Students tested campus water to determine the need for filtering and managing storm water runoff. They learned best practices regarding water management and created community awareness about using landscaping practices to filter runoff at home (rain gardens), collecting rain water (rain barrels), and fertilization practices to help keep the Grand River clean.
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Lowell High School
Exploring water and soil issues due to food production and population growth.
One of the greatest factors impacting water is soil and food/agriculture. Lowell High School students examined the ways in which farming affects water quality. Biology concepts were brought to the problem of water usage and population growth showcasing individuals impacts on water and soil issues. Students assessed community perspectives of various constituents as well as water and soil quality issues locally. In addition they worked to remove non-native and invasive species from their food web designed and setting up plantings in their greenhouse in order to grow food for their prom.
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New Branches School
Building a greenhouse to grow plants and study how fertilizers, pesticides and other substances for gardening affect both the plants and the water runoff from the gardens and educating the community about their findings.
This student project focused water testing in an indoor educational classroom, a greenhouse on the school grounds. Students first tested water quality in their local creek, getting an overall idea of its health. They then set up experiments in their classroom to determine the effects of pesticides, fertilizers and other substances used in landscaping both on plants and on water runoff.
Based on their experiments, students held informational demonstrations on open house days to inform the public about the effects of using fertilizers, pesticides and other substances at their homes that may end up in the water supply. They made a watershed model to demonstrate how pollutants enter the water stream and watershed and informational brochures about runoff and the pollutants that are in their community creek, Plaster Creek. These demonstrations promoted alternatives to fertilizers and pesticides and what people can do to limit their impact on poor water quality in their homes.
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The Potter's House School
Investigating the degree of pollution and flooding in Plaster Creek while looking for appropriate and beneficial local responses to help the creek.
Potter's House School students learned about water quality issues in rives and assessed the highs and lows of the water volume flowing through Plaster Creek in their neighborhood. They related this information to the concern of high bacteria levels, flash flooding that occurs in the creek due to storm water and the erosion caused by this flooding that leads to sediment pollution. Students learned ways to respond to the issues they uncovered, decided on appropriate action, and choose how that action should be conducted, such as suggesting where rain gardens and re-vegetation would be appropriate in the future.
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