November 28th 2016
Each week, the UrbanPromise Academy Stream Stewards Team makes a trip down to the banks of the Cooper River to collect water samples. The team is trained to test the water for things like dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and temperature to monitor long-term trends and assess river health.
This year, the team has welcomed three new freshmen students who have brought a whole new level of excitement to throwing the bucket!
(Left) Yasiria and Kris getting ready to toss the bucket for water collection
And it doesn’t end there, in addition to monitoring the water, the team also engages in a number of activities to deepen their understanding of the watershed and how water moves through the hydrologic cycle. They play teambuilding games, create models, hold a mini clean-up at the testing site, and use inquiry based science to conduct their field work.
(Right) Stream Stewards team creating a watershed model
When someone asks what the Stream Stewards do, I’ve always been quick to respond with “we geek out together for a few hours,” but after this week I’ve learned that it’s much more than just that. One student shared, “Stream Stewards has been the best part of my week”. We aren’t just going out to learn something new about the water, we are forming relationships and having fun while we do it!
-Vicki Carberry, Environmental Education Program Director