Best Practices, Volume IX, 2007

Anchorage Waterways Council and Polaris K-12 School

2007 Star Award Honoree

Table of contents

Anchorage Waterways Council Contact: Cherie Northon Phone: 561-4627		Polaris K-12 School Principal: Denise Greene-Wilkinson SBP Coordinator: Kathryn Smith, 742-8700
During the annual meeting of the Anchorage Waterways Council (AWC) in 2006, Kathryn Smith, Polaris K-12 teacher, became aware of upcoming restoration projects only a few blocks away from the school. Holly Kent, Executive Director of AWC, was contacted and a partnership was started. In one short year, students at Polaris have become versed in chemical, biological, and physical properties of Little Campbell Creek and how the health of the creek is affected by humans. Student projects and activities: Spring 2006: Grades 7-12; Infomercial Intensive – Students created videos about the creek. Fall 2006: Civics and Ecology Class – Students conducted the creek’s scientific/social inquiry, which included chemical and biological sampling, along with an analysis survey for creek residents. January 2007: Internships – Two Polaris seniors began semester internships with Nick Branson, AWC Water Monitoring Coordinator, to collect turbidity data on the creek above and below planned restoration projects. Students’ baseline data will be used by AWC to determine the impact on the creek’s health. February 2007: AWC Annual Meeting – Kathryn Smith and Polaris students presented creek displays and videos to the council and Mayor Mark Begich.		Anchorage Waterways Council involvement: Spring and Fall 2006: AWC Support: Cherie Northon, AWC’s Project Coordinator for Little Campbell Creek, was involved as a classroom speaker and supervisor for Polaris students’ field work. November 2006: Grant written by AWC provided Polaris with water quality testing equipment and Cherie Northon’s expertise. AWC Training: Three Polaris parents and four students have been trained in the Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program. They monitor two creek sites once a month, all year round. Nick Bronson, Water Monitoring Coordinator with Anchorage Waterways Council, shows Lisa Anders and Celia Miller, seniors at Polaris K-12, how to use the turbidity meter.
The Anchorage Waterways Council has served a vital role in supporting the science curriculum of Polaris K-12 by engaging students in real world science and by being excellent mentors and role models!

NEXT: Schlumberger and Polaris K-12 School »

Please note: The information on this page is from the 2007 edition of Best Practices. The people, programs and contact information included were current at the time of publication, but may have since changed.