Left to right, Ashley Belle, Janice Milanovich and Kristin TePas were presented with an Excellence Award at the annual Illinois Extension Conference.

At the 2024 University of Illinois Extension Conference last month, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Ashley Belle, Janice Milanovich and Kristin TePas were presented with an Inclusive Excellence Team Award.

The three were honored for their work organizing and implementing the Calumet Stewardship Day, an opportunity for grade school students to spend time in a restored nearby natural area, learning about science and nature.

Belle, in her role as an IISG Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) specialist, provides outreach and education to empower stakeholders in AOC communities to interpret and apply science and engineering-based information to sediment remediation projects.

Along with The Nature Conservancy, she led the planning of the 2023 and 2024 Calumet Stewardship days that took place in Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve in Hammond, Indiana. The site is part of the Grand Calumet River AOC, which has undergone several stages of cleanup and restoration.

The two stewardship days were attended by 120 4th and 5th grade students from the School City of East Chicago, where a significant portion of the population is classified as economically disadvantaged and most are Hispanic or African American.

The youth rotated in small groups through as many as six hands-on learning activity stations. Milanovich and TePas, both part of IISG’s education team, engaged students in hands-on water quality activities. They taught students how to use a Hydrolab—equipment used by scientists, to read water quality parameters—as well as how to record data in the field and interpret data to determine the health of a waterbody.

Other stations, led by scientists and environmental experts in the region, included bird watching, dune and swale habitats, fish health, and freshwater mussels. Megan Gunn, who is part of IISG’s Purdue University team, focused on macroinvertebrate identification. 

“The stewardship day is a field-based learning experience that connects students to the natural environment and creates a sense of belonging, as they learn about the health of the river,” said Belle. “This can build support for the long-term protection of natural resources in the community.”

IISG Instagram

Congress is finalizing the FY26 budget, and federal funding for Sea Grant programs across the country—including Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant—is uncertain. Sea Grant programs have consistently had broad community and political support, and now such support is more important than ever.Add your name to our sign-on letter urging Congress to support continuation of programs benefiting the Great Lakes, supporting local economies, and connecting communities with science-backed solutions.Scan the QR code or visit the link in bio to take action.
Stay updated with the latest environmental education happenings in the Great Lakes region. The Center for Great Lakes Literacy’s latest newsletter features upcoming events, professional learning opportunities, and valuable educational resources. Don’t miss out on these exciting updates—click the link in bio to read more and get involved!
Out with the old. A newly updated UnwantedMeds.org is here to make safe disposal of old medications easier than ever. Read more at the link in bio.
We are excited to offer the opportunity to propose a speaker or panel session during the 2026 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference April 28-29.  The conference will feature traditional 15-minute presentations and a poster session on the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach in the soil, water, and air.The deadline to propose a session is June 16, 2025.Learn more at the link in bio.
Skip to content