DANBURY, CT – Western Connecticut State University Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences Dr. Theodora Pinou runs two programs for area middle and high school students interested in learning more about environmental science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, and both are currently accepting applications.
Finding Our Way: An Experiential Watershed Learning Program for Middle School Children and Their Families will again host an Environmental Stewardship Competition for seventh graders. Started with a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that brought students from regional middle schools to WCSU to provide a wide-ranging educational experience focusing on water resources and ecosystem biodiversity as part of the NOAA Office of Education’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, this competition sustains NOAA’s mission of stewarding the local watershed. The application deadline for students interested in the Stewardship Competition is Friday, April 22. More information and the application form can be found at www.wcsu.edu/stem/stewardship-project/.
For high schoolers, there is the Summer Watershed Steward Ambassador program (SWSA), a paid opportunity for Danbury High School students (who preferably are rising juniors in aquatic sciences). DHS students who are interested in working outside this summer can learn more and apply at www.wcsu.edu/stem/high-school-summer-watershed-steward-ambassador-program/. The deadline is Friday, April 1, and students are strongly encouraged to reach out to Sebastian Palacio, who is the peer mentor and will coordinate the program as part of his graduate student fellowship. Students who participate in this program will be trained in watershed sciences and prepare for AP Environmental Sciences.
“This program is meant to provide access to information about careers otherwise not considered by high school students, yet critically need talented employees who care about the future of the local environment and clean water,” Pinou said.
For more information, contact Pinou at pinout@wcsu.edu, Palacio at spalacio5@hotmail.com or the Office of Public Relations at pr@wcsu.edu.
