Mountain Watershed Association is excited to announce another season of the Water Guardians after school club!
We will be meeting on the second Thursday of each month from September through May at the Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville from 5:00 – 6:00 pm. Please join us when you can! (See the listing of dates below.)
Our mission for the Water Guardians is to introduce kids to their local environment and deepen their love for and understanding of the natural world. As environmental educators, we do more than lecture – we want to have fun, so there are no tests, grades, or homework!
Our team believes that nature should be accessible to all students, so membership in the Water Guardians is free. All K-8 students are welcome! Each student will be a part of a mentor group in which the younger students will be paired with older students to build community and teamwork.
The sessions will explore various topics and lessons that include hands-on learning and games that feature creativity, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. They will also include guest speakers and a field trip (or two) to learn about fishing and canoeing.
Our themes for the lessons will include:
- Native aquatic wildlife
- Native habitats
- Soil science
- Watersheds
- Water quality
- Eco-Art
- Outdoor recreation
- Leave No Trace ethics
- Fishing
- Professions in the environmental field
- And more!
Meeting Dates:
- September 14th
- October 12th
- November 9th
- December 14th
- January 11th
- February 8th
- March 14th
- April 11th
- May 9th
- June 29th from 10am-3pm: A special community event at Laurel Hill State Park!
If you are interested in having your child become a Water Guardian, reach out to our Education Coordinator, Lindsey, at Lindsey@mtwatershed.com or simply show up at one of our many lessons!
The Water Guardians club is able to exist thanks to the time and resources donated by the Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville, MWA’s mission to invest in our community, and is funded through the DEP’s Environmental Education level one grant. Through the DEP 2023 Environmental Education Grant, MWA has the capacity to bus students on field trips, continue to develop our Outdoor Lending Library, and invite experts to speak at our meetings.