Next month, the Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District will begin a new water resource awareness program for Warsaw Community High School students.
According to SWCD Program Administrator Darci Zolman, every freshman at WCHS will participate in the program, which will include a rafting trip down Grassy Creek and into Tippecanoe Lake. The students will learn hands-on how to test water quality and monitor the health of local aquatic wildlife habitats.A $3,000 grant from Indiana American Water Thursday provided the start-up funds the SWCD will need to get the program off the ground. Zolman said the money will be used to buy equipment for the program and fund other start-up costs.
American Water is an investor-owned water utility company. The grant is part of the company's Environmental Grant Program to help support community-based projects to improve, restore or protect watersheds, surface and ground water.
"Through our environmental grant program," said IAW President David Baker, "American Water is seeking to invest in its communities and help support the people behind the projects - individuals and groups who are looking to the future and coming up with innovative ways to improve the sustainability of our water resources."
Zolman said instruction in the new program will focus on stewardship and each individual's responsibility as a resident of his or her local watershed.
"We want to use it to develop a sense of community, community responsibility," she said.
IAW Operations Superintendent Christopher Harrison said his company chose to award the grant to the SWCD program because of its focus on students.
"Education is key," Harrison said. "It makes students aware of environmental issues and ways they can protect their water. If we can educate the youth, they'll pass it on when they're parents."
