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SAYRE -- BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 and Sayre Area School District recently announced a collaborative three-year National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant in the amount of $83,102. As one of only 13 new recipients of the grant in the Chesapeake Bay region this year, BLaST and Sayre School District will work together to use the funds to build sustainable Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) for all students in the district, K-12.
By implementing the grant-approved program, "Get OUTSIDEE" (Ongoing Understanding through Science Inquiry and Diverse Environmental Experience) over the course of the next three years, BLaST and Sayre School District will provide teachers with the necessary training and tools to give students at all grade levels the opportunity to engage in MWEE learning experiences that challenge them to identify local environmental issues and create plans to address those issues with their peers.
"Providing authentic experiences for our students that allow them to work through a process of action gives them the opportunity to experience the impact they have as an individual, small group, or a team. By implementing MWEEs, our students will truly embody the idea that each one of us has the power to make a difference. I am looking forward to seeing this initiative flourish over the next three years in our community," Dr. Jill Daloisio, superintendent of Sayre Area School District, said in a press release.
Recently, the state adopted new Science, Technology and Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability (STEEL) standards. These standards emphasize a shift in science education, especially environmental science education. Through MWEE experiences, teachers can provide authentic and hands-on teaching within the local environment, and engage students in the scientific process, including field experience, drawing conclusions, and carrying out environmental action projects.
"By building sustainable and systemic meaningful environmental education experiences in partnership with Sayre Area School District and community partners, learners can experience the growth of new, innovative learning opportunities in environmental education," Rebecca Gibboney, BLaST Intermediate Unit 17's director of educational planning said in a press release. "The program Get OUTSIDEE will strengthen community partnerships, build awareness and support around environmental needs, and build a consistent systemic approach to hands-on student experiences in Science."
Sean Corson, director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, described why this project holds such promise. "BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 and Sayre Area School District proposed a unique vision for building a sustainable and systemic plan for implementing MWEEs and environmental literacy programming in Sayre," Corson said in a press release.