11th Annual Chehalis Basin Student Congress
4/11/2012
The Story
11th Annual Chehalis Basin Student Congress
Story submitted by Kathy Jacobson of Chehalis Basin Education Consortium/Highly Capable Program
On March 29th, guided by master of ceremonies Tom Hulst, former assistant superintendent of ESD 113, and president elect of E-3 Washington, our 11th annual Congress Basin Student Congress was conducted at Centralia College in Centralia. More than 275 student delegates from throughout the Chehalis Watershed -- Montesano, Elma, McCleary, Rochester, Centralia, Chehalis, Onalaska, Tenino, Wishkah met with resource professionals to share and analyze their water quality data, participate in hands-on workshops, and to develop plans to improve the health of the watershed.
In the opening event, student delegates were captivated by stories told by master storyteller, Curtis Dupuis, a Chehalis Tribal member. Masters in Environmental Studies students from Evergreen State College and Resource professionals from the City of Centralia, Washington State Departments of Ecology, The Chehalis Basin Partnership, the Chehalis River Council, the Heernett Foundation, the Pacific Education Institute, The United States Fish and Wildlife Services, and Thurston County facilitated the “State of the River” sessions as well as the hands-on workshops. The workshops included a field trip to O’Neill Natural Area, building rainsticks, bird boxes and mason bee houses; learning about salmon and salmon habitat through a salmon dissection, salmon lifecycle bracelets, benthic macroinvertebrates, Japanese Fish Printing, and others.
Thanks to all of our project partners for their help in providing an exceptional learning experience for our local youth!
Here are a few comments from students when asked about what they learned from the congress:
I learned that we need to take care of our waters, and how everything that we do could affect the water.
I learned not to litter and to pick up after my animals and to try to check the water every week.
The water can be clean if we all work together.
To pick up trash
Our watershed is important.
Nature is the most important thing is your world. Nature is a lovely treasure for everyone to enjoy, so keep it clean!
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