Project Wet Foundation

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO PROJECT WET TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN MONTANA. THE GRANTEE WILL WILL USE HANDS-ON, INQUIRY-BASED LESSONS TO TEACH 100 EDUCATORS AND 3,000 STUDENTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE ON A GLOBAL AND LOCAL LEVEL. THE PROGRAM WILL INCREASE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION IN MONTANA OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF CLIMATE CHANGE BY PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN MONTANA AND PROVIDE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: EXPERIENCED TRAINERS FROM PROJECT WET WILL CONDUCT 10 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS IN UNDERSERVED RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES IN MONTANA, BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THEM TO TEACH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN MONTANA AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. PROJECT WET WILL RECRUIT EDUCATORS FROM FOUR TRIBAL NATIONS, 10 TITLE I OR TARGETED ASSISTANCE SCHOOLS, AND 10 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AROUND MONTANA TO ATTEND EDUCATOR TRAININGS, RECEIVE STIPENDS, CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS) AND BECOME ECO-SCHOOL AND WATERSTAR CERTIFIED. SUBRECIPIENT:SUB-AWARDS WILL BE GIVEN TO FIVE EDUCATIONAL AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ORGANIZE A CLIMATE, WATER AND RESILIENCE TRAINING AND TO AWARD FUNDS TO SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATE IN WATERSTAR CERTIFICATION. RECIPIENTS WILL INCLUDE SCHOOL SERVICES OF MONTANA (SSOM), MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MEEA), MONTANA OUTDOOR SCIENCE SCHOOL (MOSS), AND TWO OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH EDUCATION IN MONTANA. SUBAWARDS WILL BE IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 EACH WITH FUNDING FOR SUBAWARDS FROM EPA TOTALING EXACTLY $25,000. OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: -TRAIN AT LEAST 50 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATORS TO UNDERSTAND AND TEACH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN MONTANA. -EDUCATE 2,500 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE GLOBALLY AND CLIMATE TRENDS IN MONTANA. -COMPLETE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROJECTS IN 25 SCHOOLS OR ORGANIZATIONS AS PART OF THE WATERSTAR PROGRAM. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: -INTEGRATE CLIMATE AND WATER TOPICS INTO SCHOOLS' CURRICULUM ACROSS MONTANA. -INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CLIMATE DATA AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN 2,500 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MONTANA YOUTH. -DEVELOP AN ETHIC OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IN 2,500 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MONTANA YOUTH.