Wednesday, May 30, 2012

First Community Workshop

In a ground-breaking move students from Tahoma in partnership with the City of Maple Valley and others led the first Storm water Pollution Community Workshop.  To an audience of district staff, school board, parents, students, Maple Valley City leaders, and community members the students from Glacier Park and Tahoma Student Leaders from the Watershed Report Team helped to educate all of us on some of the pollution going into Puget Sound through our Storm water we each are responsible for.  In fact, the many people living around Puget Sound are much larger contributors to the pollution in Puget Sound today than any of our industries.   Tahoma School District, City of Maple Valley, Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, and the Watershed
A Garden Song led by teacher Kyobi Hinami 

Tahoma - Effective Communicators!
Our young Glacier Park students certainly stole the show, under the expert guidance and coaching of Peter Donaldson, from Friends of the Cedar River Watershed.  Students gave expert voice to both the causes of stormwater pollution and solutions.  I know I was extraordinarily proud of the wonderful work of our students as students from both 3rd and 5th grade at Glacier Park along with 4 of our junior and senior high Watershed Student Leadership team helped tell a compelling story and educate us all.  At the end of the evening program students took us on a tour of the GPES gardens and showed off the rain garden, currently under construction with planting just days away.

Thanks to the teamwork of Peter, our teachers (Cathy Haws and Kyobi Hinami) and sponsorship from principal, Chris Thomas, who were willing to be pioneers with this event.  These wonderful leaders supported our students to showcase their talents and knowledge in a fun, engaging, and informative way that we hope makes a difference in the behaviors of all as we make choices about day to day activities that impact our environment.  
Thanks to Peter and all our Student Presenters

1 comment:

  1. It is inspiring how these young students show their interest in stormwater pollution and the solutions. Urban runoff is one cause of stormwater pollution. This is due to the pollutants entering surface water during precipitation events. As we all should, let us practice stormwater management to prevent flooding, erosion, and the release of pollutants into the environment.

    Monica Barnes

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