The Learning Climate: Puget Sound Civic Education Project

Earth Day Network is pleased to report on the success of the Puget Sound Civic Education Project funded by the Russell Family Foundation. The project educated and empowered Puget Sound community members and students to take action on the pressing issue of storm water management and water quality Organized in collaboration with the National Civic Education Project, which supports teachers and students from diverse schools across the country by linking environmental education to civic action, the project created learning experiences that foster personal responsibility for the environment among students. The Puget Sound Civic Education Project was a one year project which engaged students in local community outreach and education events to interact with several hundred local stakeholders, promoting storm water management ‘best practices’ and water quality issues. Furthermore the students provided water related insight and expertise for the new high school construction project in the Northshore School District in 2017. Students in the project frequently attended town hall meeting as well as visiting city officials, developers, and planners on how to incorporate storm water mitigation design elements into the building design.  From the project the students also gained valuable insight on how they impacted storm water runoff and the environment. The program incorporated three main phases for students: education of water and sustainability issues, field work to collect various water quality data for local water sources of groundwater and runoff, and community outreach events. Through the Puget Sound Civic Education Project, Earth Day Network was able to educate the Puget Sound community about the causes of water pollution and its effects on the local environment, and empower individuals and the larger community to incorporate storm water mitigation strategies. Through the education and training efforts, students were able to gain a better understanding of how their actions play a part in influencing the environmental health of their surroundings. Johanna Bozuwa, Director of Education