Taking part in the Calumet Stewardship Day, 70 youth explored nearby nature

Posted July 30th, 2024 in Featured, Great Lakes Cleanup, K-12 Education
I love Wetlands
IISG Great Lake AOC Specialist Ashley Belle, right, and on the left, Jessica Fernandez, The Nature Conservancy restoration crew lead, pose with East Chicago 5th graders at the Calumet Stewardship Day. Belle and Fernandez led the planning of this annual event.

As last April wound down and the school year was nearing its final days, 70 fifth graders from McKinley Elementary School in East Chicago, Indiana spent a day in nature learning from a variety of scientists and experts about a range of topics. 

The annual Calumet Stewardship Day took place on April 30, once again at Seidner Dune and Swale in Hammond. This natural area sits along the Grand Calumet River, which has been designated an Area of Concern (AOC) and has been undergoing a cleanup and restoration process through the Great Lakes Legacy Act. 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and The Nature Conservancy organize the event that helps connect grade school youth to their local environment. They learn about the health of the river and the remediation and restoration efforts of the Grand Calumet River.

“Stewardship Day activities engage youth in environmental education and build support for the long-term protection of natural resources,” said Ashley Belle, IISG Great Lakes AOC specialist, who led the planning of the event along with Jessica Fernandez of The Nature Conservancy.

Over the course of the school day, the students had the opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of environmental agencies and organizations as they rotated through hands-on activity stations, learning about topics such as dune and swale habitats, fish health in local waters, birding, and macroinvertebrate identification.

Teacher surveys showed that the event stimulated student learning and provided a valuable experience. One teacher commented, “One of my favorite parts of the day was watching my students learn how to use binoculars and identify different types of birds. For some of them, this was their first experience with binoculars.”

 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer. In partnership with the University of Illinois Extension, and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant brings science together with communities for solutions that work. 

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Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.

Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17847944430638356
Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.

There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!

Learn more & register at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18063625076281979
There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!Learn more & register at the link in bio.

🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists!
We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.

They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17925527007208099
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.