Another school year is in the books, and I think most teachers and students would agree that this was one of the more unique ones! From school-based water quality field days, to virtual salmon spawning field trips, to our packed spring nearshore field trip schedule, this year had everything. We are so grateful to have such amazing local teachers to work with, who have dealt with more than ever this year to help us implement our programs whether they were virtual, school-based, or field-based. We are eagerly looking forward to next year, when even more of our students and teachers should be able to join us for field experiences!
The end of June saw one of our favorite annual activities – the Summer Institute for Teachers. This year’s theme was Drought and Wildfires, highlighting some of the heightened issues we’ve been facing both locally and nationally. Thirty teachers from South Sound GREEN, the Nisqually River Education Project, and the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium came out to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for three days of amazing tribal speakers, research experts, hands-on activities, and lots of fun! We even had the incredible opportunity to explore the expansive South Sound prairies on Joint Base Lewis-McChord and learn about prairie management practices from on-base environmental technicians. Overall, the event was a great success, and thank you again to everybody who helped to make the event possible! Stay tuned for information about the 2022-2023 school year soon!
