Welcome to the special student edition of Drops of Water!
This school year, fourth through 12th grade students from 13 school districts – from Aberdeen to Tumwater to Onalaska – have participated in Chehalis Basin Education Consortium activities. Students were trained in water quality monitoring and other environmental science field skills. Through their watershed studies, water testing and hands-on involvement in restoration projects, students learned about stream chemistry and flow, habitat, weather, human impacts on the watershed, flooding, salmon recovery, riparian zones and general ecology. Many students also fine-tuned their artistic, observational and journal writing skills and created beautiful works of art and poetry, inspired by the Chehalis Watershed.
Please enjoy this special student edition, and discover how our local youth have connected to their watershed, and how they have contributed to the long-term health of the watershed through their attitudes and civic actions.
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 Matt Bon, 8th grader, Rochester Middle School watershed steward Photo: Martin Woodruff |
Congress delegates respond: "What I've learned"
Student delegates at our Fourth Annual Congress were asked, "What would you say are the most important things that you have learned from your involvement in Chehalis Basin watershed studies/water quality monitoring activities this year?" Here are a few of their responses.
That you can do many things to help our water
To be nice to everyone and the fish
We all need to take care of our watersheds
I learned tons upon tons of ways to help my environment, and I can tell others how to help out too
How to prevent wastes in the water and how to fix the damage that has already happened
How important trees and good water are to the environment
That fish need better homes
How to help by planting trees and testing water
How mountains and ocean water connect and about salmon fisheries
Keep areas around bodies of water clean and how plenty of vegetation and wildlife would thrive excellently there. Stay in school because it's cool.
A lot of different things can affect water quality
Rivers are a very important part of humans' lifestyle. We have to be careful not use them all up!
I have learned that we are trying to improve the environment for the plants, the animals and us!
How to treat salmon and rivers
I have learned about appreciating the watershed
| This special student edition of Drops of Water features:
Chehalis Basin Education Consortium Watershed Stewards of the 2004-2005 school year. 2005 winners from our regional "Words and Images from the Watershed: Washington's River of Words" art and poetry contest. "What participating in the CBEC's watershed education program means to me" – from a student's perspective. |
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Chehalis Basin Education Consortium Watershed Stewards of 2004-2005
This year eight students were selected by their teachers as Chehalis Basin Watershed Stewards in recognition of their exceptional efforts in protection of the Chehalis watershed.
"Linnae Nixon is very mature for her age, and sees the importance of caring for the environment and the role she needs to take. Her father is an enforcement officer for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, so protecting nature is a family affair. Linnae is always eager for new challenges and craves knowledge."
Teacher: Stephanie Klinger, Simpson Elementary School
"Hannah Herzog always goes above and beyond what is expected of her. She volunteered to do more research for her water quality-testing group, and freely gave of her time to learn more about Spruce Creek. She even arranged a way for a fellow student to be able to attend the Congress."
Teacher: Marchand Connolly, Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School
"Rachel Gollob is my go-getter. She has a lot of enthusiasm in whatever she does and has helped me train and supervise beginning students in water quality monitoring and in planting trees with the restoration projects. She inspires other students to follow her lead."
Teacher: Kasia Booth, Boistfort Elementary School
"Katie Hitchcock, Matt Bond, Devin Dowell and Janesa Mackin displayed outstanding leadership qualities. They took the knowledge that they gained over the last two years and were able to effectively train younger students in water quality testing. They are self-motivated, caring, hard working and reliable. They will be missed, though we are sure that their love of and commitment to the environment will continue to grow."
Teachers: Martin Woodruff, Pat Mott, Rochester Middle School
"Alexis Keating took her environmental fieldwork very seriously. She was very careful and precise, and even helped other students with their water quality monitoring. She understood the ‘big picture,' and the importance of her actions."
Teacher: Carol Boyer, Elma Elementary School
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River of Words - Art and Poetry
Each year, in affiliation with The Library of Congress Center for the Book, River of Words® conducts a free international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of watersheds. The contest is designed to help youth explore their own watersheds, discover the watershed's importance in their lives, and express what they have learned, felt and observed in words and images.
CBEC conducts a regional contest, "Words and Images from the Watershed: Washington's River of Words." This year, hundreds of entries were submitted. Judging for the poetry was conducted by the Olympia Poetry Network, and artwork was judged by Lucia Harrison, Art Professor, The Evergreen State College.
Here are some of the winning entries. Nice job to all participating student artists and poets!
| Winter
A single snowflake drifts down to earth White as milk and cold as ice. A single yard fills up with snow, White as paper and bright as the sun. A single bird flits through the skies Cheery as song and free as could be. A single flower lifts up its head Brave as a lion and frail as a child. A single snowflake drifts down to earth White as milk and cold as ice.
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| Owl
Shades of green and gray Shine through the moss-covered branches. A raven's high-pitched call Can be heard very faintly in the treetops As the light fades away in the sky. Pale blue light fills the dark swamp. Piercing hoots are in the air. A dark shape moves swiftly past. The owl has come out to hunt.
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Splash!!
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| Stream
Stopping never, Trying to move like the wind, Riding the waves like a surfer dude, Eating the sand like a girl eating pizza, Always there to talk to. Might live with me forever.
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| Soon Enough
Tree-tops high in the sky. Sunny fingers shining through the canopy. The last cold days of shy-life. Tiny worlds of new life appear. Alive and well, Spring is on its way. Excitement comes to those who wait. Leaves of green are coming now. Spring has arrived. A new beginning.
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Great Blue Heron
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Spider Nature's seamstress, weaves a web of wonders Peaceful until trespassed upon Wraps up a fly, wraps up a treat Sits still, silent Waits for another to be caught in the strands that glisten in the sunlight Crawls on a web, crawls on the wood Spins a spiral of miracles Catches a fly, catches a treat Sits, silently, peacefully until morning
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| Spring Ball
The breeze gets warmer, Days wax longer, The spring ball is about to begin. Each tree suddenly looks around to see whose dress is complete. The fir tree, Pine needles so sharp and delicate, Showing off its pinecones at the end if its branches. The wise maple, Leaves as big as elephant ears, But the most beautiful, the cherry blossom. All trees stare and snap in delight at her beauty. The spring ball is about to begin. Sunbeams dance off the dewdrops as the trees sway to the music of wind. Evergreen trees stare in amazement at beautiful colored gowns, Each embarrassed to ask his lady to dance. As the ladies get asked their blossoms turn shades of pink. The spring ball is about to begin.
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| The Majestic Tree
The tall majestic tree Holds time in its roots It's had all kinds of visitors Squirrels, rams, an owl that hoots. Its leaves shaded Indians Fishing in the stream, Washing laundry, picking berries Or playing in splattered sunbeams. Then came pioneers Struggling to get through They built up a town Their legacy is true. Horse drawn wagons, Would come and go. Sometimes a circus would come And those were quite a show! I saw automobiles, A park around me, A growing city As far as you could see. Now under my branches Boys play baseball Couples stroll down the sidewalk, Girls climb and see all. To me, There's so much more to see. So many years ahead; All from one spot – my kitchen, home, and bed.
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| The Hummingbird
Barely bigger than your thumb See it hover, hear it hum With beating wings so fast They're blurred, this helicopter Of a bird
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| Untitled
Hunting, stalking silent as can be Peering over the stump I see a majestic deer standing over ferns, The crosshairs over his heart. Finger on the trigger Adrenaline diluting blood ... A twig snaps and I cringe. He looks at me. I look at him. Time stops and I see the future in his eyes, Bounding through fields Fighting for a doe. Then he dies but his sons live on ... Bigger and stronger. My mind shifts back to the present The crosshairs off his heart. I look up and he's gone.
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| My River of Words
My pencil is like a waterfall, Words rushing over the lines. A fish is a like a doodle, Swimming along the edge of the paper. My words travel through many whisking rivers, Fastly comes to my mind, Then comes to an abrupt end, Like there is a beaver dam. My words have been pushed, Through the coarsely ground river bottom. They slowly trickle down to a pond of words, Where all my thoughts and all my feelings float together, Words have run like rivers, Sentences flow like a falling wall of water, And slowly they all come together, Thanks to the River of Words.
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| I Didn't Know ...
I didn't know I loved the river, rushing, gushing water. I didn't know I loved the eagles, silently surveying the river for prey. I didn't know I loved the trees, growing high, tall, and thick around the trunk. I didn't know I loved the spawning salmon, noisily digging their holes for eggs in the gravel. I didn't know I loved the cliff, standing high over the ground below. I didn't know I loved the world, with its mountains and lakes. I didn't know I loved the Earth, hovering in space with Venus and Mars. And I didn't know I loved myself, my family, and friends.
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| Ocean Tide
Relentlessly, Day after day, Year after year, The tide sweeps the shore clean. But sometimes, Little treasures from the ocean's pocket get left on the shore. A mother-of-pearl shell, A conch, A strand of seaweed like a mermaid's hair. Some say that the moon causes the tides, But what does the moon know of the earth? I say that a sea-king, with nothing better to do, allows the ocean to fill and empty, But then, what do I know of the sea?
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| I Am ...
I am the great oak towering over the land. I am the eagles sitting on my nest. I am a stranger lurking in the shadows. I am the wind rustling the trees. I am the rain playing on the rooftops at night. I am the universe filled with twinkling stars. I am a boy in Mrs. Aldrich's class at Simpson Elementary and I am happy the way I am.
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| Mustang
muscular untamed a stallion tough as native grass riding in the wind!
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Outside
Category II |
Spirit of the River
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Students create Watershed Proclamation at Fourth Annual Chehalis Student Congress
We, the students of the Chehalis River Basin, are committed to contributing our time and efforts in protecting and enhancing the water quality of our watershed. We intend to carry out these efforts in our day-to-day activities. The following are recommendations we feel would benefit our watershed and surrounding communities:
- Encourage farmers and ranchers to properly manage livestock waste.
- Restrict use of fertilizers and herbicides and promote organic farming methods.
- Provide additional garbage receptacles at public recreation areas.
- Establish incentives to promote more participation in recycling programs.
- Encourage people to clean up after their pets and restrict pet access along local waterways.
- Fence livestock away from waterways.
- Check septic systems to ensure that they are functioning properly and upgrade and repair when necessary.
- Limit proximity of septic systems, homes, livestock, or logging practices near waterways (creeks, streams, rivers, wetlands).
- Remove non-native/invasive plant species.
- Promote environmentally friendly logging practices, especially near waterways.
- Build structures away from waterways.
- Ride a bike, walk, or use public transportation.
- Be responsible citizens by picking up litter, promoting clean-ups, and recycling.
- Discourage illegal dumping.
- Promote the use of hybrid vehicles.
- Limit motorized boat use in rivers and lakes.
- Participate in student-based environmental education programs.
- Keep yard waste and gardens away from streams (possible pesticide/herbicide run-off).
- Increase water output from dams during salmon spawning times.
- Properly maintain motor vehicles (cars and boats) to limit emissions and leaks.
By engaging in these activities, we will be good neighbors. We understand that clean waterways and healthy riparian zones will help ensure the health of our watershed for all living things. We will remember that we all live downstream.
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Rochester monitoring program helps Black River, Chehalis Surge Plain
Over 40 Rochester Middle School students have been involved in the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium's watershed education program over the last two years.
 Janesa Mackin teaches 7th graders water monitoring |
These students have participated in water quality monitoring of the Black River at two locations, trained younger students (120+ 7th graders) in testing protocol, studied the estuary at the Chehalis River Surge Plain, pulled invasive ivy from the banks of the Black River, and filled bag after bag of garbage: old tires, diapers, cans, bottles, kitchen appliances – trash pulled out of the Black River and its surroundings.
When asked to reflect on what their participation in the CBEC program has meant to them, here is what the students said:
"As part of the Chehalis River Basin water quality monitoring team, we have learned many things. We learned that there is a lot more to this watershed than just rivers, trees, and the animals that live here. Doing this, we have learned a lot of things, including what is an estuary and what is a riparian zone. I have learned that everyday things have a major impact on the environment around us.
"As a member of the Chehalis River Basin water quality monitoring team, we go on many trips. We have planted trees to help with erosion, and we have tested the water of the Black River many times. Doing this could and will help our environment. Being part of this team has been great fun."
Twyla Blanksma, Joni Ames
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More Rochester student responses
- "Being a part of this program has opened my eyes more to what nature has to offer."
- - Katie Hitchcock
- "Helping is good because our environment will last longer, and more living things will be around."
- -Luis Iniguez
- "I like this because it has helped me understand more about nature."
- - Patrick Noltensmeier
- "It's very nice to know that I have helped build a place in nature for animal and plant life."
- - Katie McCann
- "It's actually kind of cool to know that I have done something good for the community."
- - Dakkota Ruege
- "I've learned a lot from helping the environment and have applied my new knowledge to my everyday life."
- - Ayla Lewis
- "By being in this project over the past two years, I have learned how important it is for everyone who fishes, boats, or eats from the river."
- - Corey Christensen
- "Tree planting is fun and rewarding because I get to plant trees with friends, and when I'm older, I can come back and say, I planted some of these trees."
- - Kelsey Noltensmeier
- "I personally chose to do this project to help me understand and improve my environment and the water I fish in."
- - Matthew Bond
- "I learned that trees play a big part in keeping water clean, so that's why I helped plant the trees. I really liked learning about nature and how to help it."
- -Kristin Crosslin
- "The outdoors calls to me like a raindrop to the ground."
- - Cody Watts
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What is the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium?
Chehalis Basin Education Consortium (CBEC) is a partnership comprised of Educational Service District 113, school districts, the Washington State Departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Grays Harbor College, the Chehalis River Council and the Chehalis River Basin Land Trust. The primary goal of the consortium is "to improve student learning and community education in the region by linking Washington's Essential Academic Learning Requirements and assessments to environmental issues that are part of the Chehalis River watershed."
This watershed approach can assist other school/agency partnerships in place-based, environmental education, monitoring, community involvement and service learning projects.
If you are a fourth through 12th grade teacher interested in becoming involved with the CBEC, please contact: Kathy Jacobson, CBEC Coordinator at (360) 586-3538 or kjacobson@esd113.k12.wa.us.
Funding for CBEC and this special issue of Drops of Water has been provided in part through EPA Grant No. C9-00044903-0 to the state Department of Ecology from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.