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| WATeR   A Partnership of People Who Care To expand our GLOBE project, Team Estonoa and St. Paul High School students initiated the WATeR (Waters of the Appalachia Tested and Reviewed) Project. Through the WATeR Project, Team Estonoa partners with seven other area schools in Dickenson, Wise, Russell and Scott counties, the University’s College at Wise, the Black Diamond Resource Conservation, and Jon Rockett from the Powell River Project. The partnership concentrates on the collection of water quality data by using the GLOBE program. GLOBE (Global Learning through Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an arm of NASA dedicated to collecting environmental data. The WATeR Project is financially supported through a Virginia Department of Education Learn & Serve grant. Team Estonoa plans to continue the WATeR Project with Castlewood and other area high schools during the 2011/12 school year. The WATeR project is developing a model for partnering schools, with the goal of enriching the science curriculum by providing training and support to conduct hydrology testing on local streams and rivers. GLOBE training sessions are conducted by Jon Rockett, Terry Vencil and Ann Wade at the Wetlands Estonoa Learning Center throughout the year for teachers, undergraduate and public school students. Team Estonoa currently monitors local streams and rivers. St. Paul is leading the way to promote clean water in Virginia. In 2008, two St. Paul High School seniors and one teacher traveled to South Africa for the GLOBE Learning Expedition and 12th Annual Conference to share Team Estonoa's GLOBE/WATeR Project with the world. The conference was held June 22-27, 2008. The group left on June 20, for the 36 hour flight to Cape Town, South Africa. The GLE consisted of sessions and field day exercises. The field day trips were in the surrounding areas of Cape Town. The sessions included Regional Meetings for country coordinators, plenary presentations and poster sessions for GLOBE partners. One of our students was a keynote speaker at the conference. WATeR has worked for four years developing a hydrology monitoring model for partnering schools with the goals of addressing the weaknesses of student achievement in scientific investigations, improving in-services for teachers, and pre-service for college students. WATeR is enriching the science curriculum by providing training and support to conduct hydrology testing on local streams and rivers. College and high school students are working hand in hand with the classroom teacher, increasing their interest in teaching and developing an awareness of environmental issues facing each community. Teachers are currently monitoring local streams and rivers. The group meets often to share experiences and receive training in analyzing and synthesizing the individual data. Throughout the year, the group worked together assisting each other, sharing data and experiences and planning ways to replicate the program in other schools across the region.
Ongoing WATeR Activities - WATeR partners meet several times a year for the purpose of planning workshops, sharing experiences, analyzing data, evaluating data predictors, and exploring way to sustain the work.
- Conduct introductory and intensive training workshops at Wetlands Estonoa Vencil Learning Center in St. Paul. During these workshops Jon Rockett, Terry Vencil and Ann Wade introduce teams of teachers and students to GLOBE Hydrology Protocols. GLOBE kits (purchased for each school) are used to conduct hydrology testing on local streams and rivers. The group of teachers and students collected water samples at Lick Creek, Lake Estonoa and Clinch River and performed tests including turbidity, conductivity, temperature, nitrates, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The teams then analyzed the data for precision and accuracy.
- Schools then collect hydrology data to be posted on the GLOBE website.
- The University of Virginia’s College at Wise students have developed a wetlands project on site after being involved with this project.
- High school and middle school students are working as teaching assistants collecting water samples and helping peers administer the water tests.
- More than 420 visited from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and Mountain Empire Community College in the fall 2007. There students enjoyed a tour of the science department, science exploratory sessions, and visited campus wetlands.
- WATeR partners and teaching assistance present at state, national and international conferences and workshops.
- WATeR partners helped organize the Southwest Virginia Environmental Task Force.
- A portfolio is being developed to collect & organize the project work. It has now expanded to three notebooks containing: Project description, description of activities, evaluation materials, sign-in sheets, purchases, participant responsibilities, pictures, reflections, news articles, surveys, and correspondence.
For more information on GLOBE programs, visit www.globe.gov
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| WATeR Trained Educators
Diana Withen-Coeburn HS Wise Cty*
Bonnie Aker-JJ Kelly HS Wise Cty
Justin Boggs-JJ Kelly HS Wise Cty*
Hayley Smith-Appalachia HS Wise Cty*
Imelda Moore-L F Addington MS Wise Cty
Ann Wade-St. Paul HS Wise Cty*
Terry Vencil-St. Paul HS Wise Cty*
William Cawood-Powell Valley HS Wise Co*
Christy Kelley-Appalachia HS Wise Cty*
James Fleenor-Appalachia HS Wise Cty
Myron Fields-Dungannon Int Scott Cty*
Stephanie Gross-St. Paul ES Wise Cty*
Elizabeth Fairbanks-John Battle HS Washington Cty*
Chuck Sprinkle-Lee HS Lee Cty *
Denise Peterson-Washington Cty*
Sue Carter-Twin Springs HS Scott Cty
Amanda Green-Rye Cove Int. Scott Cty*
Lori Bush-Rye Cove Int. Scott Cty*
Megan Krager-Cove Ridge Center Scott Cty*
Traci Kerns-Dungannon Int. Scott Cty*
Karen Hartsock-Dungannon Int. Scott Cty*
Jane Carter-Castlewood HS Russell Cty*
Christi Jessee-Castlewood HS Russell Cty*
Karen Clay-Castlewood ES Russell Cty
Michelle Jessee-Pennington MS Lee Cty*
April Addington-Gate City HS Scott Cty* Rosa Moore -Mountain Empire Community College*
Thomas Lambert-University of Virginia at Wise*
* Currently Active | | WATeR Partners VA DOE Learn & Serve America
Town of St. Paul
Wise County Schools
UTRR
DCR
DGIF
Nature Conservancy
VA Naturally
SWEET
SWVAE Task Force
DEQ
Black Diamond RC&D
UVA Wise
MECC
Dominion Power
Powell River Project
St. Paul IDA Board Wise Co. Board of Sup.
| | WATeR Partners Benefactors 2008 South Africa Trip Dominion Power
Wise County Public Schools
Mountain State Health Alliance – Norton Community Hospital
Oliver Coal – Larry and Rita McReynolds
Town of St. Paul
Appalachian Electric Power
Robert and Susie Harrison
C. R. Pate and Co
Clinch River Days Festival
Stanley Pest Control
James Crowder
Frank Kilgore
Tru Point Bank
New Peoples Bank
Leroy Hilton
Ernie’s Drug Store
Miners Exchange Bank
Castlewood Funeral Home
Linda Tiller
Wise County Chamber of Commerce
Ferrum College
Bobby and Bernice Hill
Kyle and Doris Fletcher
Little B Enterprises
H & R Block
Marty Materials – Marty Large
Peyton Gregory
Diana Withen
Dry Bulk Transport – Arrington’s
Juanita and Harry Kelly
Marie Johnson
New People’s Bank
Food City
Alpha Natural Resources
Thompson and Litton | |
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