Profiles of Environmental Education Grants Awarded to Organizations in American Samoa
- Indicates a Headquarters grant
2006 Grants
American Samoa Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. $13,197
Paul Van Ryzin, P.O. Box 5169, Pago Pago, AS 96799
Nu'uuli Polytech High School Conservation Club
A combination of classroom presentations, hands-on plant propagation, and public outreach is used to educate high school students and the public about the issue of nonpoint source pollution. Field day events, greenhouse instruction, and communication to the public through newspapers and local public access television are also included. High school students are recruited and trained to educate village residents on topics such as stewardship, water quality, nonpoint source water pollution, and basic conservation bioengineering. Additional residents of the territory are exposed to the stewardship message through signs and local television coverage. Students learn about careers in conservation through their participation in the project. Guest instructors also discuss career options in the environmental sciences. Because local knowledge and expertise in environmental areas are low, it is planned that the student training may lead to long-term careers in the environmental sciences, which will benefit the community. The partnerships of the project fulfill a need for improving access to educational tools and curricula for teachers in the areas of conservation and plant propagation.
1997 Grants
American Samoa Community College $5,000
Don Vargo, P. O. Box 26, Pago Pago, AS 96799
Field Guide to the Wildlife of the Protected Areas of Samoa
American Samoa Community College, Pago Pago, is developing a field guide to the wildlife that inhabit Samoa's wetlands, rain forests, and coral reefs. The guide is intended for use both in the field and in the classroom by middle and high school students and adults to identify wildlife species that inhabit protected areas of Samoa. The guide describes and illustrates in full color numerous species of birds, fish, and reptiles and includes thought-provoking questions and activities that stimulate an understanding of the environmental challenges facing the tiny island ecosystem. Key partners that provide monetary or technical support to the project include the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, the Department of Marine and Wildlife, Fagatele Bay Marine Sanctuary, Le Vaomatua, and Le Tausagi.
1994 Grants
American Samoa Community College $5,000
Don Vargo, P. O. Box 2609, Pago Pago, AS 96799
Tree Production Project
Through the "Tree Production Project," the American Samoa Community College will team with Manumalo Baptist School in a forest conservation project. Students will learn about the role trees play in Samoan culture and the fundamentals of forestry as they nurse seedlings along until they are ready for transplanting.
1993 Grants
American Samoa Community College $4,400
Don Vargo, P. O. Box 2609, Pago Pago, AS 96799
School Garden Pilot Project
The "School Garden Pilot Project" generates a partnership between the community college and South Pacific Academy, a private elementary school, to develop and implement a curriculum for grades 3 through 5 which will include nutrient cycles, the role of recycling, and integrated pest management. Using small individualized vegetable plots, the children will produce fast-growing, high-demand vegetable varieties while practicing low-input, sustainable, environmentally friendly organic growing techniques.
American Samoa Government, EPA $5,000
Sheila Wiegman, Pago Pago, AS 96799
Environmental Education for Elementary Teachers
The "Environmental Education for Elementary Teachers" project initiates a college course for public and private elementary school teachers covering solid waste management, water pollution, Samoa's wildlife, wetlands, and sustainable development. An essential element of the course will be the establishment of communication networks for the teachers enrolled and with environmental specialists.