St. Joseph County Education & Outreach

	SWCD Staff Rick Glassman, Environmental Education Coordinator (richard.glassman@in.nacdnet.net) Stationed in South Bend – 574.291.7444 x 3
	Program Information The St. Joseph County Soil and Water Conservation District offers programs to any school/group located within St. Joseph County.     The SWCD believes that conservation education extends to all ages and that students can develop an understanding of conservation at an early age and hopefully carry those lessons with them throughout their lives.    The St. Joseph County Soil and Water Conservation District provides many educational opportunities throughout each year for schools and other groups serving students and adults commited to ilife-long learning, including:      In-School Programs Teacher Workshops Outdoor Environmental Lab Development  and Enhancement Swamp Stomp "Field Trip" Owl Prowl "Field Trip" One-on-One Site Visits Conservation Field Days and Workshops Science Alive Ag Days Career Days K-12 Annual Conservation Poster Contest Curriculum Development Educational Trunks available for "checkout" - TOPICS: Water Quality - Bats - Mammals (These trunks are packed with hands on activities and supplies.)      The SWCD's Education Newsletter is published annually and it details the many program that we have to offer.  CLICK HERE to view the latest edition.     In many cases, the SWCD has grants available in order to provide programs at no cost.    To see if we have something for your school or group, call our office at 574-291-7444, ext. 3, or email Rick Glassman at richard.glassman@in.nacdnet.net
	SWCD Highlight: Learn More about SWAMP STOMPS for schools and other groups serving students in St. Joseph County, Indiana!      The St. Joseph County SWCD has been immersing students in wetland education for over 20 years, by literally immersing them in a swamp.  The Swamp Stomp is the SWCD’s ultimate field trip, where student spend the day learning about not only wetlands but also the changes of Lake Michigan .  The day’s experience starts with the outhouse and a talk about the property,Kingsbury Fish & Wildlife Area.  Students then load back up on the bus for a driving tour of the property, with deer, turkey and other wildlife, hopefully viewed.   Next stop is the Mixsawbah Fish Hatchery, here students learn about the plant and animal change found in Lake Michigan and get to feed the small Coho Salmonthat are grown at the hatchery.  Next stop is the Kankakee Riverand the talk about wetlands begins and the talk will then finish at the edge of the swamp.  Here students will do aquatic studies and learn about the diversity of life found in a wetland.  And then amid screams and laughter we begin our walk through the swamp.  While the water is only waist deep at best, most students end the 1 hour journey through the swamp covered from head to toe with mud and muck, especially after doing a cannon ball into the cannon ball hole.  A flowing stream helps “clean” of the mud.  This whole field trip started with two enthusiastic teachers who wanted their students to learn about the extreme importance of wetlands with something more than book learning and a new SWCD environmental education coordinator (EEC), Rick Glassman, who knew just the location and was even more enthused to immerse the students in the ultimate field day.  Since then, the same EEC has averaged 15 stomps a year with the average student participation being 900 per year for about the past 20 years.    To learn more, check out the SWCD's YouTube video taken at a June 2011 Swamp Stomp, and call our office at 574-291-744 ext 3 to find out how your school or organization can experience a wetland up close and personal!
	K-12 Annual Conservation Poster Contest   Deadline to participate: @Noon on April 13, 2011     Each spring, the St. Joseph County SWCD holds an annual Conservation Poster Contest in conjunction with the National Assocation of Conservation Districts (NACD).   The 2011 Poster Contest Theme is: Forests For People, More Than You Can Imagine!    Competition will again be open to all children who are residents of Indiana from kindergarten through 12th grade. The contest is open to public, private or home school students.    The divisions correspond with the rules of the national poster contest: Division I - Grades K and 1; Division 2 - Grades 2 and 3; Division 3 - Grades 4 through 6; Division 4 - Grades 7 through 9; Division 5 - Grades 10 through 12.    For the official 2011 Poster Contest Entry Form, Rules, and Tips: Contact our office at 574.291.7444 x 3E Email our office at info@stjosephswcd.org ... or Download the 3-page (.pdf) file byCLICKING ON THIS LINK  (99 kb)
	Links Hoosier Riverwatch Training:  Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring "Basic" Training introduces citizens and educators to water quality monitoring utilizing hands-on habitat, chemical, and biological assessment methods. The sessions are held both inside and outdoors. Any interested adult is welcome to attend, and once certified, may teach students how to monitor. Although Volunteer Stream Monitoring training workshops are free, you must contact the local host in advance to register. Most workshops are held from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm unless noted. For more information, including training dates, CLICK HERE     Teacher Resources: Natural Resources Education Center http://www.in.gov/dnr/nrec/    Natural Resources Conservation Service's "Tidbits for Teachers and Students" http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/    National Association of Conservation Districts' Education Resources http://www.nacdnet.org/education/    National Association of Conservation Districts' Annual Poster Contest http://www.nacdnet.org/education/contests/poster/    Indiana Envirothon http://iaswcd.org/district_tools/envirothon.html    Purdue Extension's K-12 page http://www.extension.purdue.edu/k-12/    EPA's Teaching Center http://www.epa.gov/teachers/    Environmental Education Association of Indiana http://www.goshen.edu/eeai/    PBS's NOVA Teachers Page http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/    WNIT's Outdoor Elements Page http://www.wnit.org/outdoorelements/