Stewart-Quitman High School, Stewart County Links: www.seer.org/pages/rural.html www.stewart.k12.ga.us/9th%20Grade%20Academy/9th_Grade_Environmental_Academy.html www.stewart.k12.ga.us/EIC%20picts/EIC%20Webpage.html Junior Internships In partnership with EIC in Georgia, the Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) rewarded ninth graders who excelled in the Stewart-Quitman High School EIC program. The EIC team developed a criteria based on academic achievement, attendance, attitude and behavior. Students who met the criteria were eligible to participate in one of four Junior Internships in the summer of 2005. Students developed resumes and participated in interviews. Four students were hired to work for six, 20-hour weeks at their EIC community partner sites, Florence Marina State Park, Providence Canyon State Park and Westville, a living history village. View our "Watershed Within a Watershed" model EIC unit! Our EIC program chose to use the Youth Watershed Summit as our EIC activity. The following context and questions were used to begin investigating our local watershed. 1. Context: Watersheds 2. Organizing Question: What is a Watershed? 3. Supporting Questions: Where is your watershed? What are the problems associated with your watershed? How does the Chattahoochee River Watershed affect your environment? How does your watershed connect to the Chattahoochee River Watershed? What are the concerns of the most polluted watershed in Georgia (Chattahoochee)? How are these concerns being addressed since the conception of the Clean Water Act in 1972? "A Watershed, within a Watershed, within a Watershed" (1) We began by tracing the Chattahoochee River on transportation maps provided to the class by the Department of Transportation for each student in the EIC class. Students then traced all of the tributaries of the Hodchodkee Creek that runs through Stewart and Quitman counties. We then obtained topographic maps of the Hodchodkee Creek and students traced contour lines to see the elevation of their watershed and where runoff water comes from and flows into the creek. Ex. A hog farm. (2) We then took a field trip to 6 sites on the Hodchodkee Creek for students to collect water samples to test to determine the water quality of the Creek. Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center provided 2 people to help us determine water quality and how to read a Global Positioning System to determine latitude and longitude along the creek. (3) Students each used the internet to determine the concerns of the Chattahoochee River as it comes from north Georgia, flows through the city of Atlanta, south to the city of Columbus, then further south to the Lower Chattahoochee River Watershed. (4) Students created a tri-board to present in Maryland at the Youth Watershed Summit. Assessments for the project came from a 4 page typed paper written by each student, their log book, and map work. 4 students were chosen by the EIC teacher team to represent the class at the Summit in Edgewater, Maryland. They were chosen based on academics and interest in the project. EIC Team of Teachers: Beth Cook - geography Elaine Bush - environmental science Michael Brackin - math James Forrister - agriculture Students Visit Providence Canyon The ninth grade environmental academy at Stewart-Quitman High School took an exploratory trip to Providence Canyons to begin their semester long study of landforms of the area. The park staff, Joy Joyner and Sherry Stephens, and Tim Wilson guided the students into the canyon and explained both the history of the canyon formation and the geographical information such as the layers of the canyon. Students also learned about one of the canyons that is encroaching upon the park road. Joy will be coming to the school to talk more to the students about the dilemma that the encroaching canyon might cause. The students will be writing persuasive letters to the park director to offer possible solutions. The students will also be participating in service projects to help promote tourism in the park. The purpose of the environmental academy is to create a context for learning that will help students relate their local surroundings with what they are learning in class. Students Learn Cultural History The students of Stewart-Quitman’s ninth grade Environmental Academy recently participated in a history lesson with Westville’s Interpretive Director, Michelle Alexander. The lesson included a history of Westville and also of Stewart County. Students learned about different artifacts of the 1850’s such as clothing, quilts, candles, earthenware, and soap. This hands-on history lesson allowed students to experience what life would have been like for them in the 1850’s and also gain a greater appreciation of how their area came to be as it is today. The students will be taking a trip to Westville in the early fall to learn about the gardening styles of the 1850’s and will then begin work on a Community Cottage garden of their own reflecting what they have learned. Students Break Ground on Heirloom Garden On August 25, 2004 the Stewart-Quitman High School 9th Grade Environmental Academy held a ground breaking ceremony for a Cottage Garden. Students in the 9th grade academy will be learning about gardening from Westville and will plant a fall garden much like people 100 years ago in this area. They will be planting Heirloom plants from the 1850’s era. The local communities of Stewart and Quitman County were invited. Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included: Mr. Johnson – Superintendent of Quitman County, Mr. Josey – Superintendent of Stewart County, Michelle Alexander from Westville, Mr. Dopson – Principal SQHS, and Deon Jackson and Tiara Harris - 9th grade academy students. All 9th graders were in attendance at the groundbreaking. Refreshments were prepared by the lunchroom staff and included “tea cakes” and lemonade. Students in Mr. Dixon’s science class and Mr. Brackin’s math class will be responsible for planting and cultivating the garden. These students will go to Westville to help plant Fall gardens and then plant the Cottage Garden at SQHS. Thanks goes to all of the community in its support of the 9th Grade Environmental Academy at Stewart-Quitman High School. SQHS Motto “Building tomorrow’s leaders each day.”