Session 2: Education, Not Outreach
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Session 2: Education, Not Outreach 〰️
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“How old will you be in 2050?”
NB: A portion of this session will take place outside, as a fieldwork experience in the Eagle River.
Since the release of the Water Plan, we’ve been using this guiding question with positive, eye-opening responses. It also prodded water educators to contemplate how our work can better support the Plan’s implementation.
In response, we’ve built a quality-control system to provide external evaluation to water education programs teaching K-16 students – with much of the work done by young people. Our research-based system uses national education standards to identify Colorado’s “Water Education Exemplars.” This year, we will complete 15 reviews and recruit and train 9 youth.
Starting in 2026, this 5-year project will set pace to complete 100 reviews, engage and compensate 35 youth, and impact the majority of Colorado’s K-16 student population.
This session highlights two of the first designated “Colorado Water Education Exemplars”: CFOW and SPREE’s Excursions field trips.
CFOW asks high school students, “What can you do to improve your watershed?” Students research watershed concerns and propose realistic solutions to them. Almost 500 proposals are received annually for $10,000 in implementation funding, with the top 10 presenting in a competition for $11,000 in awards.
SPREE’s Excursion field trips are grade-specific, content-packed learning experiences taking place outdoors along the South Platte River. Preschool through 5th grade options, each with a sequence of 4-7 lessons, are highly immersive – learners get in a stream in many cases. About 5,000 students participate annually.
(Note: Second half of session will take place outdoors, in and near the river, dress appropriately)
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A Certified Master Environmental Educator, Donny leads the Water Education Exemplars Project for the Colorado Watershed Assembly. Previously, he managed Denver's award-winning Stormwater Education and Outreach Program, reaching more than 15,000 students from 2011-2024. His MS in Natural Resources is from The Ohio State University.
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Ivonne Morales leads the Caring for Our Watersheds program at the Poudre Learning Center located in Greeley, empowering students to turn big ideas into real-world solutions and celebrate their achievements. Since 2018, she’s guided more than 6,200 high schoolers in exploring their watersheds and designing innovative projects, with nearly 150 student-led solutions brought to life. A former program participant, Ivonne knows firsthand how these opportunities spark creativity, build confidence, and grow the next wave of community leaders.
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After moving to Colorado from the Midwest in 2011, Bekky has been with The Greenway Foundation (TGF) since 2013. TGF's education program, SPREE (South Platte River Environmental Education) works with about 6,000 Denver elementary school students annually. Their field trip program takes students to parks along the South Platte River to foster a sense of belonging in public nature spaces, get hands-on and place-based environmental education, delve into local history, discover nature in urban parks, and dive into river ecosystems! In her role as the Education Director, Bekky is grateful to work with kids, get outside, and learn something new every day.