History of Splash
The Splash program began in February 1999 to fulfill two needs. One was the need of a consortium of water agencies to build awareness of Sacramento’s water resources and the public’s role in their protection. The other was the desire of Eva Butler, a local biologist, to encourage science education by introducing children to vernal pools and streams. Splash emerged from their common belief that nature inspires learning, and informed kids can help protect water and habitat.
In 1997, Eva began volunteering at Crocker Riverside Elementary to share the magic of vernal pools with her friend’s class of fifth graders. With funding from the consortium, a small team of local scientists and educators assembled to create two curricula to meet the complimentary objectives of science education and water resource protection. With the help of many contributors and mentors, the first versions of the Splash Elementary Curriculum and the Splash High School Curriculum were produced in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
Both curricula have been revised over the years and enhanced with additional program elements to create the Splash Elementary Program and the Splash Secondary Program. While the Splash classroom programs offer thousands of students a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience nature in our urban environment, we believe that kids deserve multiple opportunities to discover, explore, and connect to the living world around them.
To advance this belief, Splash launched three new programs between 2006 and 2009. One was Splash Club After School, which was piloted in 2008-09 by several teachers using materials provided by Splash. The other two programs, Nature in the Neighborhood and Splash Club meet at the Splash Center. They give children and their parents opportunities to explore the wildlands at Mather Field with local scientists who love sharing what they know about life in the great outdoors. These experiences at Splash can open eyes, warm hearts, and expand minds to possibilities for future pursuits.
For more details about the development of Sacramento Splash and its programs, please visit milestones in Splash history.
