Governor's Award Goes to Splash
On November 22, 2005 Sacramento Splash received
the 2005 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award
for excellence in environmental education. The honor was bestowed
on the Splash elementary curriculum Life
in Our Watershed: Investigating Vernal Pools. This
place-based watershed education program was designed to build
awareness of local water resources and the public's role in their
protection.
Each year Splash invites 65 classes from schools
within Sacramento County (Grades 4-5) to study the diversity of
life in vernal pools - seasonal wetlands that are rare and unique
to California. Classroom lessons prepare the students for an
interactive 3-hour tour of the vernal pool prairie and the Splash
Resource Center at Mather Field. Students are escorted in small
groups by Splash Guides, providing many opportunities for students
to share their acquired knowledge and to discover first-hand just
how much life depends on clean water.
The inspiration to create this program came from
Water Quality Director Bob Shanks almost 10 years ago. The
curriculum was produced by a team of local scientists and
educators directed by consulting ecologist Eva Butler, with
assistance from many area biologists. Development of the Splash
Program was made possible by the financial support of a consortium
of three local water agencies: The Sacramento Regional County
Sanitation District, County Water Resources and City of Sacramento
Department of Utilities. These sponsors have helped Splash to
deliver the elementary program to nearly 9,000 students in
Sacramento County to date.
Back Row: Patrick Sanger, Bob Shanks
Front Row: A.G. Kawamura (Secretary, Department of Food and
Agriculture),
Kerry Schmitz, Eva Butler, Karen Scarborough (Undersecretary,
Resources Agency),
and Alan Lloyd (Agency Secretary, California Environmental
Protection Agency).
Related Articles
Office of the
Governor - November 22, 2005 Press Release
2005 Governor's
Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards - Presentation
Ceremony program
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