From the Classroom

2017 Student Showcase

Our second annual Watershed Classroom Student Showcase was last Thursday, May 18. Student representatives from 10 of our 14 projects presented using PowerPoint and homemade videos, informing and inspiring attendees with their depth of knowledge and environmental literacy.

Students Jocelyn Edwards and Sara Christmann Rigsby of River Montessori Charter school stand with their project table after presenting. 

Students Jocelyn Edwards and Sara Christmann Rigsby of River Montessori Charter school stand with their project table after presenting. 

In case you missed it, here are some highlights!

Students Emma Churchill, Avery Blankenship, Gabriel Carles, and Sofia Farina from Matt Jackson and Jovanna Ayala’s Flush project at Petaluma Accelerated Charter School urged us to care for our waterways with their fun and informative PSAs!

Video by student Avery Carles of Watershed Classroom's Flush curriculum.

Kayla Pearson and Martin Burstein of Kris Camacho’s Petaluma High Environmental Health in our Watershed project showed us why we should care about phosphates and nitrates in the Petaluma River.

Video by students Kayla Pearson, Martin Burstein, and Larissa Kiefer of Kris Camacho's class at Petaluma High School. Presented at the 2017 Student Showcase as part of their Environmental Health in our Watershed curriculum.

And Jessica Dennen and Shiloh Winders students at Carpe Diem and Sonoma Mountain High Schools shared with us their incredible work they have been doing as part of the PG&E Solar Suitcase program and their Steamer Landing Restoration curriculum.

Carpe Diem and Sonoma Mountain High Schools' sustainability project for the PG&E We Share Solar suitcase program.

These are just a few of the incredible student work displayed at the event, both by presenting and tabling students. All of their work will become available on our project pages sometime over the coming week!

Watershed Classroom Teacher of the Year

The evening ended with a special award. For her exceptional commitment to outdoor education and her generosity of time and insight in giving back to our program, the 2017 Watershed Classroom Teacher of the Year Award went to Petaluma High School chemistry teacher Lee Boyes. Throughout the 2016-2017 school year, Boyes has consistently stepped up to offer her expertise to the Watershed Classroom. She even took it upon herself to organize and run multiple workshops on the use of our water testing kits. She deserves all the recognition we can give her!

Lee Boyes with Friends of the Petaluma River founding board member Elizabeth Howland.

Lee Boyes with Friends of the Petaluma River founding board member Elizabeth Howland.

Thank you to everyone who presented and tabled at the event. It was a truly special evening to witness. Thank you also to everyone who attended, we hope that you left the event with a greater understanding of our program, our projects, and our watershed.