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Training future leaders to save America’s treasure
The LSU AgCenter took a bold step this year by inaugurating a Youth Wetlands Week – and it was a huge success.
During the week of April 16-20, more than 20,000 students – grades 7 through 12 – in more than 150 schools became aware of the Louisiana land loss crisis and what can be done about it. Some had the opportunity to plant soil-saving plants in nearby wetlands. In the process the students learned valuable science lessons.
“We plan to sponsor a Youth Wetlands Week every April for a long time to come,” said Carrie Castille, coordinator of environmental education for the LSU AgCenter and the principal architect of the event.
At Iowa High School in Calcasieu Parish, 4-H leader Sharon Nabours gave a lesson on the role wetlands play in filtering sediment and other material before they reach waterways and the Gulf of Mexico. Nabours used plastic soft drink bottles cut in half for students to make models of the surface of a wetlands area, using any combination of a coffee filter, rocks, sand and grass.
Iowa High School agriculture teacher Bill Thompson said the lesson helped with what he is trying to teach his students.
“We touch on environmental issues, but with everything we have to cover during the year it’s difficult to get in depth,” he said. “I’m planning to use this lesson in the future.”
In Sandra Givens’ Mt. Hermon High School science class in Washington Parish, the students constructed “wetlands in a pan,” complete with coastlines and barrier islands.
Shane Kraft, the 7th grade life science teacher at Pontchatoula Junior High School, took her students to Turtle Cove to plant some marsh plants.
Funding for this massive effort comes from a $1.5 million, three-year grant, ad ministered by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. This first year took about $350,000 of the grant to cover the cost of developing, printing and distributing the lesson plans and teaching materials.
“The goal is that more people understand the critical importance of upland and coastal wetlands and the need to prevent further loss,” Castille said. “By targeting young people, our efforts will have a longer-term impact.”
4-H agents across the state were in charge of recruiting the schools to participate. These agents, along with 18 members of AmeriCorps stationed in Louisiana, also helped with the teaching and carrying out the outdoor projects, Castille said.
“We were able to recruit a graduate student and former middle school teacher, Kathryn Fontenot, to develop lesson plans for about six hours of instruction aimed at 7th and 8th graders and high school environmental science classes,” Castille said. “It was important that we have the support of our teachers, not only in development but also in implementation, delivery and evaluation.”
“We appreciate the efforts of the LSU AgCenter in planning and developing the 2007 Youth Wetlands Week,” said Scott Norton, a director with the Louisiana Department of Education, one of the partners in this project. “Louisiana is one of the few states that includes environmental science in its content standards.”
Other cooperators include America’s Wetland Campaign, the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
Youth Wetlands Week in 2008 and 2009 will be targeted at more grade levels and more schools, Castille said. “We hope this will continue to be part of the curriculum in Louisiana schools well beyond these three years,” Castille said.
“We hope what the students learn will carry into their lifetime, and they will be an integral part of saving this American treasure.”
Linda Foster Benedict
(This article was published in the spring 2007 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.) |