Education & Outreach
Youth Education * Outreach * Green Schools * Storm Drain Art and Stencil Share
Youth Education
We are delighted to report that very soon, Maryland will be the first state in the nation to have an environmental literacy graduation requirement. The No Child Left Inside campaign supports environmental education because complex environmental challenges confronting the nation and world require an informed citizenry, and engaged, knowledgeable individuals.
Environmental education excites students by engaging them in their world and getting them outdoors. Studies have shown that environmental education also promotes higher-order thinking skills and is correlated with higher test scores in math and reading.
Blue Water Baltimore works hard to develop and offer applied environmental education opportunities that meet state curriculum standards, engage students by combining in-class and outdoor education with hands-on restoration work, inspire students to continue to explore nature and give them the skills to actively protect and speak out for healthy, vibrant environment.
Currently, we work with a number of schools on such projects as:
- Planting trees on and off campus
- Cleaning local streams
- Teaching fishing, water chemistry, and bird ID
- Installing rain barrels and rain gardens on campus
- Planting butterfly gardens
- Tree identification and seed & nut collection
Would you like to work with us on developing environmental education curriculum? Are you interested in setting up in-class and/or outdoor environmental education opportunities? Visit our Get Involved page to see how you can help with our Youth Education program.
Outreach
We are passionate about what we do. We want you to understand the plight of our streams and green spaces, and how a healthy environment directly relates to your own quality of life. We believe that from knowledge grows concern, and from concern grows passion.
We are happy to speak to your class, church group, staff, or community group and discuss what we do, why we do it, and how you can get involved. We are also happy to table upcoming fairs, celebrations, or outreach events to help spread the word. Get Involved in our Outreach program.
Green Schools
Taking your kids out for a day of tree planting is terrific, but we all know there is much more to be done. The Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) has created a nationwide model, called the Maryland Green Schools Program, to inspire and help area schools become models of sustainability, reduce school operating costs, and improve the health and test scores of our students. As a certified Green Center, Blue Water Baltimore is here to help you with the Green School application process. From developing quality, lasting student greening initiatives to providing hands-on professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, we are committed to helping our schools become leaders in sustainability and helping today’s students become tomorrow’s environmental stewards.
We invite you to Get Involved in our work!