KANSAS CITY, KAN. --- Students from Wyandotte High School are part of a national program called GM GREEN (Global River Environmental Education Network) that engages over 10,000 students in 26 communities across the country in addressing their area’s most pressing water challenges.
The program, which is run by the national non-profit Earth Force, engages multiple partners throughout a community to empower young people to take action through inquiry-based water quality investigations.
Through a strong partnership among the Blue River Watershed Association, Earth Force, and General Motors, 60 students will get into the Missouri and Kansas Rivers feet-first to apply the knowledge gained within the classroom to assess the stream’s health.
According to a 12-year Brandeis University evaluation, this hands-on learning experience increases students’ problem-solving skills and knowledge of science and the environment, and furthers community involvement.
Through these partnerships, young people in Kansas City and across the country are honing 21st century skills, working in and with their community to solve real-world water issues.
“Allowing our students to make discoveries about their environment through hands-on learning makes a powerful impact,” says Kate Delehunt, Education Director, Blue River Watershed Association. “Not only are students gaining science knowledge, they are interacting with professionals in the field and making connections to the practical application of what they are learning in the classroom.”
General Motors has been supporting GM GREEN since 1989, and the Blue River Watershed Association has been facilitating it in Kansas City, Kansas for four years.
The program has since grown to include the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, the US Green Schools Council, and the Black Chamber of Commerce.
“Access to clean water is critical to any business and community member,” said Kevin Brown, GM Fairfax Plant. “Through the GM GREEN program, we can share our knowledge about watersheds and encourage students to be leaders in advancing water quality and conservation.”
To learn more about getting involved with the GREEN program, visit our website at http://www.earthforce.org/GREEN or contact Kristen Mueller at kmueller@earthforce.org.
