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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 1995
95-156
CONTACT:
Deborah Schuldt, Monroe High School (800) 828-9449, home (206) 788-4063
Annie Phillips, Ecology (360) 407-6408
Mary Getchell, Ecology (360) 407-6157
ECOLOGY AWARDS MAGIC APPLE GRANT TO MONROE TEACHER
OLYMPIA, WA -- This school year, a science teacher at Monroe High School will get extra help for environmental education projects from a $750 "Magic Apple” grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Monroe teacher, Deborah Schuldt, plans to use the grant to replenish water quality testing supplies, transport whole classrooms of her students for Wetland Field Days and make 450 copies of a field handbook.
Last May, Ecology presented "Magic Apple" grants to nine teachers throughout the state in recognition of outstanding water quality education projects, and to support activities in the coming school year. The money is part of a larger environmental education grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"Teachers can really influence whether a student grows up to cherish or to misuse our natural resources," said Linda Crerar, Ecology assistant director for the water division. "These educators are teaching stewardship along with their traditional subjects of science, language arts and social studies."
Schuldt’s "Wetland Field Days” project is in its fourth year. In addition to teaching her science students about testing water quality for dissolved oxygen content, pH and turbidity, she shows them how to use plankton nets and microscopes to learn about microorganisms, wetland insects and food chains. The students sharpen their observational skills by writing poetry about their feelings for the wetland. And they promote community awareness of the value of the wetlands by talking to local residents. Parents loan boats, life preservers, binoculars and rubber boots for the classes to use.
"The really unique thing about our program is that the high school students become teachers themselves, passing on their lessons to classes of fourth graders. Then the younger kids follow up their field day by producing a wetland journal,” said Schuldt. "This really enhances the teenagers’ learning. Studies show that students retain about 90 percent of what they teach others. There isn’t a stronger way for high school students to learn their lessons of stewardship than by teaching younger students.”
Teachers interested in applying for a "Magic Apple" grant should contact Annie Phillips at the Department of Ecology, (360) 407-6408.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
