SD1’s Environmental Unit: Winner of NACWA’s (National Association of Clean Water Agencies) 2004 National Environmental Achievement Award
In 2003, the District partnered with local school districts to develop and implement an “Environmental Unit”. The unit includes 5 one-hour lessons, including topics such as point/nonpoint source pollution, watershed management, wetlands, and Best Management Practices (BMPs). It has been incorporated into nearly every fourth-grade classroom in Northern Kentucky, reaching over 5,000 students every year. Each student is required to complete a “water log” that contains assignments for each lesson, providing a mechanism to measure the effectiveness of each lesson.
The local school districts have embraced the program and the feedback to date has been incredibly positive. This success has triggered some local schools to initiate efforts to revise the unit to also accommodate middle and high school classes. Additionally, representatives from school districts in other parts of Kentucky as well as other states including New York and California have requested copies of the unit for use in their schools.
If you would like a copy of the unit or would like to schedule a training session on how to administer the lessons, please contact Witni Sztanyo at 859-578-6764.
