Profiles of Environmental Education Grants Awarded to Organizations Located in Iowa
- Indicates a Headquarters grant
- 2014
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2014 Grants
University of Iowa $68,952 (funded at $90,952 when including FY 15 funds)
2 Gilmore Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1320
http://www.uiowa.edu/Exit
The CLEAR4 Project: Clean Air in the River Valley Project
This project by the University of Iowa develops a coordinated set of EE activities around the theme of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution and air quality on the upper Mississippi River Valley. The communities of the affected area are learning about air quality, how to use new technology to measure air quality, and will be implementing a comprehensive “EPA PM Advance” (PMA) Advance Forward plan to improve air quality, maintain compliance with the Clean Air Act, and minimize episodes of impaired air quality.
2011 Grants
IPBB - Iowa Public Broadcasting Board $25,308
Mr. Terry Lynn Rinehart, P.O. Box 6450, 6450 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131
Online Global Climate Change Teacher Professional Development
Iowa Public Broadcasting will use this grant to provide professional development to 100 middle school science teachers in rural areas. This project will focus on climate change while assisting teachers with instructional skills to engage students in problem-solving learning in the classroom. Five online courses will be offered over a two-year period and will address issues of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
2010 Grants
Iowa Recycling Association $14,104
Teresa Kurtz, 2742 Southeast Market Street, Des Moines, IA 50317
Secondary Material Recovery Facility Kit
This Secondary Material Recovery Facility Kit project provides Iowa high school students the opportunity to design a Secondary Materials Recovery Facility (SMRF). Students in grades 8 through 12 present their design to peers through the Internet Protocol television (IPTV) kindergarten through grade 12 programs and to the Iowa Recycling Association (IRA) board of directors. The objective of this project is to address resource conservation and pollution prevention through recycling mechanisms. Teachers borrow the SMRF model, develop classroom lesson plans, and teach students about core science concepts while providing a solid waste and recycling component. They also develop a recycling curriculum that includes core science concepts (such as motion, force, gears, and magnetism) as well as topics such as resource conservation, recycling, and pollution prevention through recycling mechanisms.
University of Northern Iowa $34,465
Carl Walter Bollwinkel, 1005 Technology Parkway, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Rain, Runoff, and Rivers
The goal of Rain, Runoff, and Rivers is to plan and implement workshops that improve educators' teaching skills in environmental education and their knowledge about the underlying causes of the flooding problem using the theme Rain, Runoff and Rivers: Understanding Watersheds. Two workshop sessions train participants who include Iowa kindergarten through grade 12 and college educators. The objective of the workshops is to improve environmental education teaching skills using the Environmental Issues Instruction (EII) four-step teaching model: what is the issue, what knowledge is needed to understand the ecology of the theme, what are the local viewpoints of the environmental issue of watersheds and flooding, and what action should be taken. Rain, Runoff, and Rivers addresses the issue of whether action should be taken to change the runoff in the watershed. Teachers then deliver this teaching model to their students. The classroom and field application of the course involves students, parents, and communities.
2009 Grants
Boone County $26,390
Michael J. Salati, Jr., 201 State Street, Boone, IA 50036
Keep Boone County Healthy
Under this grant, staff members of the Boone County Health Department deliver quarterly seminars to teach homeowners and renters how to recognize environmental hazards such as lead-based paint and radon, to properly operate and maintain septic systems, and to properly manage household hazardous wastes. The residents learn how to identify lead-based paint hazards and develop plans to reduce or eliminate them, and attend seminars where Boone County Health Department staff show them how to reduce and remove potential home-based hazards and how to properly operate and maintain septic systems and residential water wells. Community members learn how to protect and improve their environment and health by reducing these hazards.
City of Dubuque $28,000
Cindy Steinhauser, 50 West 13th Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
Generation Green
As part of this Generation Green project, city staff teach homeowners, businesses, and students about energy efficiency. The project curriculum includes a sustainable communities conference, the Mayor's Green Pledge, a stormwater drain stenciling program, a green vision school certification, a bio-fuels state conference, creation of a Web site focusing on topics such as sustainability and recycling, and tips on how to use energy efficiently. City personnel conduct educational seminars, events, and classes and develop toolkits to teach the community about ways to save energy and money.
2008 Grants
Iowa Public Broadcasting Board $20,000
Gwen Nagel, 6450 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131-6450
Using Technology to Provide Environmental Careers Outreach
This project teaches students in grades 4 through 8 and teachers about environmental careers and resources available for students to pursue careers in science. Students and teachers are also taught about environmental issues in their communities. Iowa Public Television, in partnership with youth organizations, universities, and nonprofit organizations, presents interactive video sessions on environmental issues and information about science careers. Students have an opportunity to become aware of science careers and coursework, learn skills to analyze problems, draw conclusions about environmental issues, such as renewable energy, and arrive at an action plan. They also learn how this issue affects their futures and how they can prepare for the challenges ahead in pursuing science careers.
Polk County Conservation Board $17,642
Patrice Petersen-Keys, 11407 NW Jester Park Drive, Granger, IA 50109
Green Arts Pilot Project
Middle and high school students serve as mentors in a green arts pilot project. This project merges the arts and conservation techniques and encourages environmental stewardship. Local artists, naturalists, and high school student mentors provide green art experiences for sixth grade students. This green arts project connects students with nature, addresses environmental issues, and develops awareness of native ecosystems and their effects on the quality of life. This project also addresses environmental issues, including landscape and habitat restoration, waste reduction, recycling, and water quality.
2007 Grants
Iowa Lakes Community College $15,313
Judith A. Cook, 19th South 7th Street, Emmet, IA 51334
Sustainable Energy Interactive Modules
The Sustainable Energy Interactive Modules involve college faculty who create a center for sustainable energy education. This center increases the college’s capacity to develop and deliver sustainable energy education across the State of Iowa. College faculty develop three sustainable energy education modules. In addition, a Web-based energy seminar is held for naturalists to teach them how to deliver energy education modules to students. College faculty provide naturalists and teachers with curriculum to incorporate into lesson plans. Furthermore, naturalists conduct outreach to middle school students during guest lectures to teach them about sustainable energy. Teachers develop a long-range plan to identify what needs to be done to establish the college as a sustainable energy center. Finally, students learn why sustainable energy is important and how to use energy and natural resources efficiently.
Polk County Conservation Board $21,355
Patrice Petersen-Keys, 11407 Northwest Jester Park Drive, Granger, IA 50109
Junior High Service Learning Program
This service learning project addresses several environmental issues and develops the next generation of leaders to protect and restore native ecosystems. Environmental educators make initial presentations to students in the classroom to discuss their project. Students then visit a wetland, park, prairie, or woodland to participate in projects such as planting trees, controlling erosion, and removing invasive species. Students also learn about native ecosystems and their effects have on the quality of life. This project raises awareness, has become a model program for reaching large groups of students at one time, and provides youth with the tools to become environmental stewards.
Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee $11,784
Melissa Maynes, 603 7th Street, Corning, IA 50841
Land Stewardship for Vocational Agricultural Students
Land Stewardship for Vocational Agriculture Students involves retired university extension specialists who train vocational agriculture teachers. Educators teach high school and college agriculture students about stewardship practices and how they relate to farming. Students learn the use of grasses and legume forages, about soil particles that carry water pollutants, and about croplands and grasslands. Agriculture teachers and university extension specialists demonstrate and teach land stewardship practices to students. This project provides long-term education to future land managers to encourage environmental stewardship.
2006 Grants
Eastern Iowa Community College $12,782
Ellen Kabat Lensch, 306 West River Drive, Davenport, IA 52801
The PEER Project: Protecting the Environment and Earth's Resources
Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center (ATECC), in partnership with United Neighbors, Inc. (UNI), and Eastern Iowa Community College, has developed a 1-year Protecting the Environment and Earth's Resources (PEER) project to educate inner-city youth about natural resources, conservation, and environmental issues. Elementary school students study life forms and habitat on a river, the role of wetlands, sources of pollution and their effects on the river, and the impact of man-made structures on the river. ATECC staff train UNI staff to use the Connected by a River educational CD-ROM and to use local environmental programs in the community for education. Educators implement the CD-ROM guidance and conduct field trips with a group of inner-city children during the UNI after school and summer program. Students learn about environmental issues and environmental careers and see first-hand professionals working in environmental fields during the field trips. ATECC will evaluate the pilot program and develop a PEER guide to assist additional instructors in replicating the PEER project based on the evaluation.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources $13,199
Brian Soenen, 502 East Ninth Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
A Watershed Awareness River Expedition (AWARE)
Project AWARE is coordinated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Keepers of the Land volunteer programs. This project focuses on watershed education and environmental stewardship. The goal of this project is to involve students, adults, and members of the community in analysis of water quality data to see how water quality changes throughout the watershed. IOWATER, a volunteer water quality program, is used to analyze water quality. Participants study habitat change, stream flow, and land use.
Iowa Department of Public Health $30,376
Sara Colboth, Lucas State Office Building, 321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Pesticides and Chemicals in Child Care
A childcare workgroup consisting of six agencies educates teachers, students, parents, and community leaders about threats to human health from environmental pollution, especially as it affects children, and how to minimize human exposure to preserve good health. These agencies include the Department of Public Health; Department of Human Services; Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; Department of Education; Iowa Poison Control Center; and Iowa State University Extension. The target audience is licensed childcare providers. This project protects children enrolled in childcare centers throughout Iowa from injury and illness caused by exposures from misuse of hazardous chemicals that are used in childcare centers. The Iowa Department of Public Health has developed and distributed educational materials through this project that explain the EPA labeling system, the importance of reading product labels, whether there is a need to use some chemicals to correct a problem, and Integrated Pest Management. Educational seminars are held throughout the state. In addition, educational materials are distributed, and the importance of safe and proper use of pesticides in the presence of children is discussed.
2005 Grants
Iowa Conservation Education Council $9,781
Craig A. Meyers, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131
Midwest Environmental Education Conference
The Iowa Conservation Education Council partners with the North Iowa Area Community College to host a Midwest Environmental Education Conference. Educators and natural resource professionals from across the Midwest attend the conference. The goal of the conference is to offer participants workshop sessions in environmental, economic, and cultural changes that have occurred during the past several decades. Educators learn about new directions in environmental research and education. Participants also gain new skills and techniques in environmental management.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources $31,605
Brian Tormey, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319
Sustainable Systems Class
Students participate in a 12-week internship program on pollution prevention under this project. The program teaches undergraduate and graduate students about sustainability concepts. Students learn about pollution prevention, energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental compliance, environmental management systems, and environmental design. The goal of this project is to serve as a catalyst for students to learn how to create sustainable and pollution-free communities and to apply these concepts to class projects. Knowledge gained from this course empowers Iowa students, making them a more valued commodity in the workforce and in the communities.
2004 Grants
Hamilton County Agricultural Extension District $14,873
David N. Brown, 735 2nd Street, Webster City, IA 50598-1436
Youth Environmental Agriculture Days
The objective of the Youth Environmental Agriculture Days project is to demonstrate how agriculture impacts the environment and the health and safety of young people in rural areas. Youth Environmental Agriculture Days give fifth graders and their teachers the opportunity to participate in three environment-related and four agriculture-related educational sessions in a single day. These 25-minute sessions address the importance of water quality and groundwater, how people get food from farms, the positive and negative effects of the sun, biotechnology, how trees impact the environment, corn and soybean by-products, and how animal by-products are used in people’s daily lives. The sessions are intended to teach students about how to keep water safe, how to avoid the harmful effects of the sun, the importance of trees to the environment, the value of various agricultural by-products in everyday use, and other matters.
Hartman Reserve Nature Center $5,244
Vernon Fish, 657 Reserve Drive, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
After School Program
The After School Program provides after-school environmental education activities for elementary and middle school students both in their schools and at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center. The activities are conducted in partnership with the local Girl Scout and Boy Scout Councils. The objectives of the program are to expose students to local environmental issues, use these issues to develop the students’ problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and increase student achievement in core academic areas. Five hundred students in grades 6 through 9 at six middle schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa, participate in the program. The participating Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are in grades 1 through 9 and live in the 12 counties in northeast Iowa served by the Conestoga and Winnebago Councils. The program uses activities from established environmental curricula, such as Project Wild; Project Learning Tree; Project WET; and IOWATER, a water quality testing program.
Proteus, Inc. $25,000
Terry Meek, 3115 Douglas Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310-5307
Agribusiness Employers Conference
The goal of the Agribusiness Employers Conference project in Iowa is to hold a statewide conference for 200 employers of Hispanic, immigrant, and migrant farm workers. The objectives of the project are to teach and update these employers about environmental regulations and issues pertaining to the workplace. A principal focus of the project is the health hazard posed by herbicides, pesticides, and other toxic substances to which workers may be exposed through skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion. The conference is intended to enhance the employers' decision-making skills with regard to safe work practices. At the conference, employers are provided with educational techniques and resources that they can use to conduct effective environmental education for their Hispanic, immigrant, and migrant farm employees.
2003 Grants
Eastern Iowa Community College $4,200
Dr. Ellen Kabat Lensch, 306 West River Drive, Davenport, IA 52801-1221
Connected by a River
The goal of this project is to educate middle school students about how to use real-life learning to increase their awareness and knowledge of environmental issues. Students develop the necessary skills to make informed decisions and take responsibility for their actions regarding the environment. The delivery method is four 1-day, 2-hour, after-school workshops conducted through the Iowa Communication Network. The students’ teachers develop skills in integrating the Connected by a River CD-ROM into the classroom. Each middle school receives a Connected by a River CD server package to use in its classrooms.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources $18,750
Mark J. Slatterly, 502 East Ninth Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
The Pollution Prevention Intern Program
The Pollution Prevention (P2) Intern Program places college graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in organizations for a 12-week period to help identify, evaluate, and implement environmental solutions for specific issues or processes. Selected interns receive 1 week of system-based P2 training from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and then begin working on their respective projects. Host facility supervisors develop work plans to ensure management support, and IDNR engineers provide mentoring and technical assistance. The interns identify, research, evaluate, and assist in the implementation of alternatives for reducing waste, pollution, or toxicity at their host facilities. The overarching goal of the project is to reduce environmental pollution by educating college graduate and undergraduate students, businesses, industries, and institutions about environmental issues.
Iowa Recycling Association $5,000
Dewayne Johnson, 2742 SE Market Street, Des Moines, IA 50317
Student Waste and Recycling Audits
The objective of this project is to empower students to work with teachers; administrators; and food service, office, and custodial staff members to identify ways to reduce and recycle waste generated at their school. Iowa Recycling Association staff members are working with students to identify and target recycling and waste reduction opportunities. Students research the kinds of wastes being generated in their school and identify ways to reduce or recycle the waste or otherwise divert it from the local landfill. The project is being implemented for 15 classes.
Southdale Impact $3,300
Brian Gediinske, 627 Orchard Drive, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Southdale Environmental Education Initiative
The goal of the Southdale Environmental Education Initiative is to provide kindergarten through sixth-grade students with a variety of hands-on learning opportunities focused on the environment. The intent is to develop student activities that increase environmental awareness, generate enthusiasm, encourage family participation, and promote creativity and problem-solving skills. The students participate in a science fair, at-home energy and resource conservation projects, and recycling projects. Field trips are included as part of the educational experience.
West Branch Community School $10,000
Hector Ibarra, P.O. Box 627, West Branch, IA 52358
Hazardous Waste Awareness - Used Oil Filters
In this project, middle school students from rural schools learn about the process of recovering used oil from oil filters. The students bring used oil filters to the project site, and the filters are weighed before and after compaction. The students and other community members use hydraulic oil filter presses to study the amount of used oil that can be recovered by compressing the filters. Once the filters are compressed, about 90 percent of the used oil is recovered. The project is increasing public awareness of the environmental benefits of compressing used oil filters.
2002 Grants
Harlan Community School District $14,100
Bernard Hermanson, 2102 Durant Street, Harlan, IA 51537
Student Water Quality Monitoring
This project involves monitoring the water quality of two water bodies. The public uses the data generated from this project to make decisions regarding the need and effectiveness of riparian strips and the continuation or alteration of streamside activities that could potentially affect water quality.
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation $3,490
Penny L. Brown, 7638 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50322
Walnut Creek Watershed
This film project takes viewers on a journey through the Walnut Creek watershed and teaches them how waste travels through a landscape familiar to them. The film displays land-use types recognizable by the students, and discusses how every land use impacts water quality in some way. A Walnut Creek Watershed display has been created and set up at conferences and meetings around the watershed and state.
Iowa State University of Science & Technology $24,655
Peggy Haafke, 2207 Pearson Hall, Ames, IA 50011
Take Responsibility for the Environment Where You Live
The goal of this project is to educate urban and rural citizens on the principles of properly fertilizing lawns and crops to protect the quality of water resources. Iowa State University Extension demonstrates appropriate fertilizer applications in three cities in Northwest Iowa. Farmers and agribusiness operators are learning how to reduce water quality degradation through the correct use of fertilizers. The project develops and presents a program for groups that demonstrates how each of us can make decisions that positively affect the environment.
Southern Iowa Forage & Livestock Committee $4,670
John Klein, 603 7th Street, Corning, IA 50841
Students on the Land
This project provides a series of 10 to 16 field days on farm tours to demonstrate the latest livestock management methods. Each of these tours exhibit how grassland production and livestock grazing can be the superior alternative land use for environmental resource protection and economics in several working farmlands in southern Iowa.
West Des Moines Community School District $5,000
Doug Woodley, 2109 Grand, West Des Moines, IA 52065
School Integrated Pest Management Program
The West Des Moines School District is initiating a program to educate four focus groups (custodial staff, administrators and faculty, school nurses, and parents) about the impact of pesticide use on the environment and the alternatives of pesticides offered through integrated pest management techniques. These focus groups identify methods to reduce pesticide exposure to children. The project includes development of printed handouts for each of the focus groups along with a workshop for custodial staff. This environmental program educates teachers, students, parents and community leaders in the public about human health threats from environmental pollution, especially as it affects children, and how to minimize pollution exposure to preserve good health.
Western Iowa Technical Community College $5,000
Christine Case, 4647 Stone Avenue, Sioux City, IA 51106
Integrating Environmental Education into English
The Western Iowa Tech Community College is integrating environmental education about hazardous household materials into its English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum. The ESL teaching staff is developing multi-sensory lesson plans that include printed materials, videos, guest speakers and field trips. The plans include information about how to manage household toxins ranging from lead-based paint to automotive waste, such as oil and antifreeze. Activities are tied in with community environmental themes, such as weekly curbside recycling, annual Earth Day activities, and the biannual Toxic Cleanup Day.
2001 Grants
Conservation Districts of Iowa $4,285
Cindy Blobaum, 3829 71st Street, Suite F, Urbandale, IA 50322
Bridging the Gap
High school students attend a one-week residential environmental summer camp. During the camp program, the participants experience working with professionals. Students develop lifelong skills and contacts. Acting as mentors, the professionals stimulate the students’ interest in environmental careers. Students participate in a variety of activities, such as rehabilitation of prairie habitats, monitoring of water quality, forestry management, geologic sampling, bird banding, and similar activities. Among the environmental professionals assisting the students are college professors, foresters, wildlife biologists, aquatic ecologists, wildlife rehabilitators and naturalists. The summer camp program is designed to accomplish three learning outcomes: (1) establishment of mentoring relationships, (2) exploration of environmental careers, and (3) exposure to environmental education.
Fort Dodge Community Schools $4,882
Rod Huisman, 104 South 17th Street, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Brushy Creek Field Lab & Research Project
The project brings educators to a natural setting to train them in conducting field research with their students. Teachers learn new strategies and skills for implementing and practicing when they teach students outside the classroom. The goal of the project is to move students from the classroom into nature to learn about their environment. The project introduces students to careers in science that extend beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Students gain knowledge and awareness of the diverse ecosystem around them. The project increases students’ interest in science, mathematics, and technology by providing them with the opportunity to conduct research in an outdoor environment.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources $5,000
Corey McCoid, 7900 Hickman Road, Suite 1, Urbandale, IA 50322
Air Quality Educational Broadcasts
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is expanding its current educational television broadcast in central Iowa to a television station in eastern Iowa. The goal of the project is to increase public awareness of issues related to air quality in eastern Iowa through broadcast media. The project accomplishes that goal by educating television viewers about the threats posed to human health by air pollution and the consequences of the activities of individuals. The project also provides tips on approaches to daily activities that both save money and reduce air pollution.
Keokuk County Extension $5,000
Gary Bickmeier, 102 East Washington, Sigourney, IA 52591
Environmental Education Camps
The project provides summer activities for 150 children, ranging in age from 7 to 13. The summer camp program teaches the importance of environmental stewardship through hands-on activities. Students also participate in a three-hour program conducted by the Keokuk County Conservation Board and the director of the camp. The program teaches youth the relationship between pollution and environmental threats to both animals and plants. Students participate in a five-hour program that combines instruction and practice in fishing with training on the effects of pollution on fish and on private and community sources of water. The students learn about methods of conserving water resources and develop knowledge and skills that will assist them in recognizing and correcting pollution.
Kirkwood Community College $5,000
Mike Martin, 6301 Kirkwood Boulevard, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2068
Trees for Learning
Students prepare a container nursery featuring placarded trees of 90 varieties. Students from local schools and members of the community visit the campus of Kirkwood for one-hour field trips to use the container nursery to practice tree recognition and learn about horticultural solutions to environmental challenges. Two-hour field trips also are scheduled; during those longer programs, students and community members identify the college’s horticultural practices and the tree plantings. Kirkwood’s professors of horticulture lead the learning experiences. Trees similar in species to those in the container nursery are placed throughout the Kirkwood campus. As trees outgrow their containers, they also are placed on campus. Students use geographic information system (GIS) mapping technology to map trees on campus. Students and visitors test their ability to name trees by species and influence on the environment by identifying similar unmarked trees on campus. The project educates students in kindergarten through grade 12 and members of communities in eastern Iowa about various tree species and the environmental benefits provided by a wide variety of trees when they are placed and used in a manner that is environmentally sound. The project also provides students and members of those communities the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning in the community.
Polk County Agricultural Extension District $24,990
Barbara Hug, 5201 NE 14th Street, Suite A, Des Moines, IA 50313
Water-Friendly Landscapes
The project has two purposes: (1) to educate homeowners and renters about landscaping practices that conserve and protect soil and water and (2) to educate youth and homeowners about non-point source pollution of area waterways and about ways to protect and conserve water supplies. Phase 1 of the project educates participants about integrated pest management practices. To accomplish that goal, staff of the Extension office conduct group meetings, web-based classes provide opportunities for self-instruction, and written materials are distributed. The participants use practices that promote good water quality and conservation to construct an environmentally safe landscape. A yard sign is placed at the project site to attract the attention of neighbors, and the landscape is used as a teaching resource to encourage people in the neighborhood to participate in the program or to use the practices on their own initiative. Phase 2 of the project educates homeowners and renters in how to reduce non-point source pollution of area waterways and how to protect and conserve water supplies. Homeowners perform soil tests on their lawns to identify pollutants. Educational materials educate youth audiences about water and watershed pollutants.
2000 Grants
Iowa State University of Science and Technology $83,635
James Pease, 213 Beardshear Hall, Ames, IA 50011
Nature Mapping: Involving Citizens in Mapping Iowa's Biodiversity
NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental science and education program, modeled after a similar program conducted in the state of Washington, that brings together students, educators, members of the general public, scientists, and representatives of natural resource agencies to study and document biodiversity. Under the first phase of the project, funded by a grant from within Iowa, a statewide steering committee was created, materials were adapted for use in Iowa, and the basic structure of the project was developed. Under the second phase of the project, participants analyze biodiversity data and develop maps of distributions of species that identify the status of common species and their habitats. Using the information about biodiveristy, participants can determine where and why gaps in species distribution occur. The information also is available on the NatureMapping Web page. Members of the community are being educated about the importance of preserving biodiversity as well as the actions they can take to improve their environment and preserve biodiversity. Training is provided through hands-on workshops, as well as interactive sessions conducted through a statewide video network and the Internet. Partners in the NatureMapping project include the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.
Kirkwood Community College $5,000
Keith Hench, 6301 Kirkwood Boulevard, S.W., Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Enhancing Undergraduate Environmental Science Studies through Student Exploration
This project educates minority, rural, and international students in environmental science. Students have access to equipment and hands-on laboratory protocols that give them an active learning experience that fosters student success, retention, and improvement in writing skills through the preparation of student laboratory journals and reports. Field equipment and laboratory kits for the environmental science course are used to provide motivational laboratory exercises to explore local environmental issues, while improving the students' problem-solving, oral communication, and writing skills.
Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center $4,480
Jonna Higgins-Freese, 120 East Boyson Road, Hiawatha, IA 52233
Yard Stewardship for Kids
This project is designed to teach children how to reduce the use of lawn pesticides or to cease using such products altogether. This project enlightens community leaders about pesticides and encourages the use of integrated pest management and other ecological alternatives for pest control.
1999 Grants
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health $5,000
Ronald Osterholm, 22 North Georgia Avenue, #300, Mason City, IA 50401
Local Lead Awareness Campaign
The project is intended to raise awareness of the hazards of lead poisoning and the necessity of screening children age six and under. The project changes the approach to the management of cases of exposure to implement intervention at the community level. It targets the population of children at risk through prevention, rather than confining itself to the care of the individual child suffering from lead poisoning. Key partnerships with KLSS Radio and KIMT-TV increase the number of people the program can reach. The objectives of the project are to educate families of children six and under and to build in the community awareness of lead poisoning and the services available to address that problem.
Conservation Districts of Iowa $4,935
Jill Knapp, P. O. Box 649, Johnston, IA 50131
Workshop on Environmental Science Field Study for Teachers
The Envirothon is a comprehensive high school environmental education program that culminates in a competition among teams. The object of the program is to give 30 Iowa science teachers the knowledge and skills they need to provide guidance for the Envirothon program. The workshop provides 30 hours of instruction over a four-day period; continuing education and graduate credits are available through an accredited university.
Kirkwood Community College $5,000
Cynthia Root, P. O. Box 2068, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Workshop to Train High School Teachers in Microscale Chemistry
The project trains 20 high school teachers in techniques of microscale chemistry that reduce the amounts of chemicals used and therefore the generation of waste without compromising instruction in standard laboratory skills. The workshop, which is free to the teachers, addresses various experimental concepts that are applied at various educational levels. For the endeavor, Kirkwood Community College is working in partnership with the Grant Wood Area Education Agency.
United Nations Association - USA $5,000
Dorothy Paul, 20 East Market Street, Iowa City, IA 52245
Taking on the Challenge of Global Change
Taking on the Challenge of Global Change uses public forums to explore the risks posed by climate change, the challenges those risks present, and solutions to the problem. A public hearing is held at Iowa's Capitol to continue helping citizens learn about issues and processes and to present to the public positive and innovative proposals for solutions to problems related to climate change. The overall goal of the project is to make Iowa a safe and environmentally healthy and sustainable state.
University of Northern Iowa $5,000
Susan Salterberg, Center for Energy and Environmental Education, Cedar Falls, IA 50614
Simplifying for Wellness
The purpose of this project is to reduce the use of natural resources and the creation of waste. The project uses an existing environmental education curriculum, Simplifying for Wellness. Recycling coordinators are trained to use the curriculum and then conduct train-the-trainer sessions for the public. Workshop evaluations and postworkshop follow-up ensure that the goals and objectives of the project are met. The Center for Energy and Environmental Education, the Iowa Recycling Association, the Nebraska State Recycling Association, and Biocycle/InBusiness are partners in the project.
1998 Grants
Akron-Westfield Community School $18,886
Ronald Wilmot, 850 Kerr Drive, Akron, IA 51001
Cooperative Study of a Reclaimed Northwest Iowa Accretion Wetland
The project is designed for 60 students (grades 9 through 12) and four staff members who meet on two Saturdays a month for three-hour sessions. The group goes to the wetlands in the flood plain of the Big Sioux River next to the school, where they gather data, take samples, and record observations. The project has the unique opportunity to help in the long-term effort to reestablish wetlands along the Big Sioux River. The goal is the development of the Big Sioux River Corridor, more than 2,000 acres of wetlands.
Iowa Department of Education $5,000
Duane Toomsen, Grimes State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
Food, Land, and People
The project builds the urban school district's capacity to initiate and sustain the process of training educators to use Food, Land and People (FLP) curriculum materials. The training strengthens educators' ability to teach about the interdependencies of agriculture, the environment, and diverse cultures. The project provides a 15-hour workshop for 100 teachers in the district. The workshop includes presentations by local resource professionals on environmental issues of concern to the local community.
Iowa State University Extension Service $2,500
Amalia Spescha Bright, 2606 W. Burlington, Fairfield, IA 52556
Iowa Organic Farming Educational Videotape
The project provides farmers who are in transition from conventional crop production to organic farming with the information they need to make that change. The organic farming education videotape is intended to educate the public in general and the farming community in particular. The video is distributed to staff of extension services and other farm agencies in the state. Non-point-source pollution generated by agricultural operations is a major cause of impairment of water quality; concern about the issue is so strong that many farmers indicate they would reduce their use of farm chemicals if they had available economically acceptable alternatives.
1997 Grants
American Water Works Association, Iowa Section $5,000
Angie Mann, 2201 Valley Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321
Iowa Children's Water Festival
The Iowa Children's Water Festival is a one-day educational event that gives fifth graders the opportunity to learn about the important role of water in the environment. To ensure statewide participation, random regional drawings are conducted to select 1,500 students to attend the event, held at the Ankeny campus of the Des Moines Area Community College. The Des Moines Water Works is a partner in the project.
Iowa Department of Education $4,420
Duane Toomsen, Grimes State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
Nature Speaks
The Nature Speaks project develops numerous communication skills linked with experiences in the natural environment. Through the project, 26 teachers participate in a workshop designed to connect the disciplines of language arts, social studies, science, physical education, and art with ecology and understanding of environmental relationships in learning-by-doing activities. The University of Northern Iowa is a partner in the project.
Iowa Renewable Energy Association $5,000
Thomas Deves, 3863 Short Street, Dubuque, IA 52002
Iowa Electrathon
Under the Iowa Electrathon project, schools design, build, and race one-person electric vehicles. Students are involved directly in the design and construction of the cars and are involved indirectly in obtaining sponsors, arranging publicity, and project planning. More than 500 schools in Iowa - public, private, and parochial - participate in the project. Teachers attend a workshop during which they explore environmental issues and learn to build the Electrathon vehicles. The Electrathon is intended to bring attention to the environmental problems caused by conventional cars and to demonstrate the practicality of electric vehicles. Partners in the project are the Iowa Renewable Energy Association and the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa.
Maharishi University of Management $5,000
Terry Allen, 1000 North 4th Street, Fairfield, IA 50556
Creating an Ecosystem: A Model K-12 Environmental Curriculum
The curriculum implementation project includes faculty training, student education, and distribution of educational material to the public. The target audience includes 650 students and faculty of the school selected for the project, as well as an estimated 200 students and teachers from other schools. The project addresses a fundamental environmental problem, the need to develop sustainable methods of agriculture, and includes a faculty workshop and classroom and greenhouse activities. Food workers who teach the Common Roots Curriculum are partners with the university in the project.
Missouri & Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. $4,560
Keith Edwards, 618 Park Avenue, Sac City, IA 50583
Iowa Organic Agriculture Education Project
The Iowa Organic Agriculture Education Project increases awareness and knowledge of organic agriculture among farmers and provides them the skills they need to apply organic agriculture practices. Farmers who are converting to organic farming and others who use organic practices are the target audience. A series of six workshops provide training for more than 300 members of the farming community. The participants gain an understanding of the effects of farming practices on human health. Missouri & Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation & Development, Inc.; Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.; the Heartland Organic Cooperative; and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship are partners in the project.
University of Iowa $5,000
Dave Conrads, E216 Field House, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
Wild 2000, A Wildcare Project
Wild 2000, A Wildcare Project provides all children in the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) the opportunity to participate in a week-long outdoor environmental educational experience sometime during their elementary school years. The week-long program is modeled on a wildlife camp program that focuses on various ecosystems in the area. The pilot program begins with five elementary schools, including more than 250 students and 15 teachers. The students participating are fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from a multicultural background. Partners in the project are the ICCSD and the University of Iowa.
1996 Grants
Andrew Jackson Demonstration Farm Corp. $4,725
Theresa H. Weiss, 201 W. Platt St., Maquoketa, IA 52060
Teacher Training Workshop
The Teacher Training Workshop project trains middle school teachers to use a watershed approach to agriculture and the environment. Participants in the project are developing an outdoor environmental education site at the Andrew Jackson Demonstration Farm. A workshop is being held for the teachers to demonstrate what is available for outdoor education at the site and how it can be used to teach environmental education activities. The model developed for the project can be used by schools, organizations, or local government agencies to establish similar sites in Iowa.
Cedar County Conservation Board $5,000
Hector Ibarra, 1400 Cedar St., Courthouse, Tipton, IA 52772
Rings of Life: Learning and Growing Together
The Rings of Life: Learning and Growing Together project provides long-term learning experiences that require students, faculty, and community commitment and involvement. Rings of Life brings the community, businesses and schools together. The project is a three-year cycle of instruction involving four middle schools that are: planting trees; testing water and soil; analyzing core boring; writing reflectively on their findings; creating an Internet Web site; and developing computer-generated multimedia presentations while constructing a WILD School Site.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources $3,300
Larry L. Bean, Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
Wind Energy Seminar and Workshop
The Wind Energy Seminar and Workshop provides a forum to improve environmental education skills for teachers, faculty, and nonformal educators knowledgeable in the area of wind energy production and use. Through direct mailings and other media activities, the project also is educating rural citizens of Iowa about the environmental benefits and economic value of using the wind to produce energy.
Kiwanis Nature Island $4,920
Cindy Blobaum, 111 Ninth St., Suite 180, Des Moines, IA 50314
Watching Our Water (WOW)
The Watching Our Water (WOW) project is assembling a team of knowledgeable urban, minority high school students who can actively educate others about the environmental and health issues surrounding the state-wide debate concerning the development of large-scale hog confinements and their potential effect on water quality. WOW is teaming with the Kiwanis Nature Island Naturalist and 20 Science Bound students from North High School who are learning about the source, potential contaminants, and treatment of water. They participate in valid scientific measurements and become an active agent of environmental education.
North Cedar Community Schools $5,000
Margaret Sandeghpour-Kramer, 400 Ball St., Clarence, IA 52305
Teacher Training
This project instructs teachers, administrators, and community volunteers in environmental and service learning education to facilitate developing the joint school-community trail and gardens system. The target audience includes 12 teachers, one administrator, sixth and seventh grade students, and 300 community participants. The results will include the establishment of a trail and garden system and the cleanup and restoration of a nearby stream.
Page County Soil & Water District $5,000
Kevin McCall, 1213 5th Avenue, Shenandoah, IA 51601
Environmental Education Program for Southwest Iowa
The Environmental Education Program for Southwest Iowa provides four in-service training sessions and supporting material for more than 75 teachers and administrators. As many as 2,500 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade have access to quality environmental education not previously available to them. The project will organize 25 environmental education programs for local community groups. The project's goal is to expand public understanding of Iowa ecology, dependence on the ecosystems, attainment of a sustainable life style, and to increase teaching skills involved in outdoor education.
Willow Creek Field Lab Foundation $4,630
Dan Towers, 114 N. Chestnut, Courthouse, Jefferson, IA 50129
Willow Creek Wetland Field Lab: Problem Solving Techniques
The Willow Creek Wetland Field Lab: Problem Solving Techniques project is improving environmental education teaching skills for educators from 13 public school districts and seven parochial schools in four counties, to engage almost 11,000 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade in on-site learning activities at a significant wetland complex. A series of workshops offered throughout the year, lead by local environmental specialists from various state and local agencies and organizations, present materials appropriate for the region. The project builds capacity within Iowa for developing and delivering wetland-based environmental education programs and will reach communities with a grassroots community-based organization which actively encourages wetland protection, development, and restoration.
Winnebago County Soil and Water Conservation District $771
Mark Sandvik, 163 First Avenue, E. P. O. Box 85, Thompson, IA 50478-0085
Equipment to Teach Water Ecology for the Lake Catherine Learning Center.
The project will focus on providing eighth graders a hands-on experience in comparing the ecology of wetlands to man-made impoundments. The study will focus on how wetlands filter pollutants and store eroded sediments. The sessions will combine field and laboratory work. The result will give the students an understanding of the biological diversity of wetland ecosystems.
Wright County Conservation Board $750
Bruce Voigts, 1768 O'Brien Avenue, Clarion, IA 50525
Water Testing of County Streams and Rivers in Wright County
The project will focus on educating teachers, students, and the general public about human health problems associated with environmental pollution from animal waste draining into the waterways of the county.
1995 Grants
Cedar Rapids Community Schools $4,900
Joyce Fowler, 346 2nd Ave SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-2099
Outdoor Learning Lab
The purpose of this project is to develop and maintain an outdoor learning lab on the school campus. A subcommittee of teachers will use existing environmental educational references to create a handbook of environmental thematic units. Another subcommittee will plan activities to disseminate information to families and the community and actively involve them in the project.
Des Moines County Conservation Board $17,364
Sharon Kaufman, 512 M. Main St., Burlington, IA 52601
Landowner-Mentor Training for Water Quality Monitoring
This is a pilot project in which six area landowners will be trained to monitor the water quality within the waterways of the Flint Creek (Des Moines, County) watershed. They will be trained to serve as mentors to students from West Burlington Middle School who are also studying water quality issues, water quality monitoring, and the relationship between water quality and land use practices within the floodplain. The project will serve to educate members of the communities in and around Burlington and West Burlington, opening lines of communication between grassroots farming and non-farming agencies and organizations by training area landowners to monitor water quality and by providing opportunities for the landowners to serve as mentors to middle school students.
Polk County Conservation Board $24,423
Wendy Zohrer, Lewis A. Jester Park, Granger, IA 50109
The City as an Ecosystem Project Video
The purpose of this project is to develop a video targeting urban youth that complements the urban environmental education curriculum about environmental investigations. The video will provide an overview of the city as an ecosystem, highlighting urban environmental issues and demonstrate hands-on investigations by urban, multicultural, youth from the upper elementary level.
University of Northern Iowa $24,675
Carl W. Bollwinkel, Price Laboratory School, Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3593
Wetlands Issue Instruction
This project will train 30 educators of kindergarten through 12th grade to guide students in making wise decisions relating to wetlands issues. The project also will pilot an educational program appropriate for science centers and museums to educate about wetlands and to initiate educational programming for a "Wetlands Discovery Park."
1994 Grants
Bettendorf High School $5,000
Barb Jacobsen, 33333 18th St., Bettendorf, IA 52722
Search, Solve, Create and Share
The project is an environmental source reduction education project conducted in four stages using a new methodology called Search, Solve, Create and Share developed by researchers at the University of Iowa. The goal of the project is to involve others in environmental education in an active role. Along with workshops for teachers and students, an activity booklet related to solid waste issues will be developed.
Eastern Iowa Community College District $4,250
Ed Stoessel, 306 W. River Dr., Davenport, IA 52801-1221
Environmental Resources Workshop
The Eastern Iowa Community College will provide high school teachers with the opportunity to discover environmental resources and experience environmental education through a five-day workshop. Participants will receive an environmental science resource instructor guide and a sampler of an environmentally-centered English composition anthology comprising classical, journalistic, and technical selections.
Grant Wood Area Education Agency $24,974
Dean Hartman, 4401 6th St. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-4499
Save Our Water Project
The "Save Our Water Project" is designed to improve the quality and quantity of environmental education teaching skills in the upper elementary grade levels. Teacher workshops will use new, interactive hands-on tools and techniques. A locally-relevant water quality resource guide will be developed. An increased partnership among educators, students, parents, and the soil and water conservation personnel in the community is expected to evolve.
Hoover Elementary School $30,000
Roberta Dardyshire, Hoover School, 1002 Spring Street, Davenport, IA 52803
Instruction on the Importance of Preserving the Environment
This project will add several weeks of instruction to the school year to teach preschool through 3rd graders about the importance of preserving the environment and providing them with stewardship skills. The majority of the school's students are considered to be at-risk; they are from low income and minority families or test at or below grade level in reading and mathematics. Teachers will use existing curricula that use an interdisciplinary approach to learning and that emphasize student interaction with the natural and social environment. Curricula from programs such as Project Learning Tree, Project Wild, and Project Aquatics will be used.
Iowa 4-H Foundation $4,989
Beverly Berna, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
Environmental Education Curriculum Integration for Classroom Educators
This project will improve environmental education teaching skills by providing curriculum integration and modeling of classroom in-service to educators. Classroom educators or learning center teachers will be empowered to teach their students with an age-specific, integrated, sequential curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to participate in community projects such as paint recycling and household hazardous waste reduction.
Iowa Department of Education $5,000
Duane Toomsen, Grimes State Office Bldg., Des Moines, IA 50319
Volunteer Wilderness
The goals of the "Volunteer Wilderness" project are to enhance teaching skills through a wilderness awareness and ecological restoration workshop for educators, to enable educators to communicate this experience with a presentation, and to expand the knowledge base within the community so that community members will make more positive environmental choices. The program will affect more than 1,500 people and will be developed in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Education, the U.S. EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Fish and Game, the University of Northern Iowa, and the Iowa State University Extension Youth and the 4-H Program.
Kirkwood Community College $5,000
Douglas Feil, P. O. Box 2068, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Curriculum for Literate Adults and Families
The purpose of this project is to develop a curriculum package that will motivate marginally literate adults and their families to be environmentally conscious, informed, and responsible. It does so by coupling environmental issues with the Adult Basic Education curricular emphasis on family literacy and life skills. This curriculum will teach basic environmental responsibility using hands-on activities adapted from the pre-reader program that was funded and successfully administered last year.
University of Iowa $24,862
Susan M. Blunck, Van Allen Hall, University of IA, Iowa City, IA 52242
The Iowa Floods Follow-up Project
"The Iowa Floods Follow-up Project" will be a means of improving environmental teaching skills. The project will build on a nationally recognized teacher in-service program known as the Iowa Chautauqua Program, which is a model science in-service program. The focus will be on the effects in Iowa of the floods of the summer of 1993. Teachers will use information from their investigations during visits throughout the state to create modules that can be used in the classroom. The university will coordinate teacher planning and design of resource modules for summer workshops.
1993 Grants
Benton Community Schools $4,644
Rick Heldt, 400 First Street, Van Horne, IA 52346
Environmental Curriculum by Grade Level
The purpose of this project is to develop an environmental unit of study for each grade level, kindergarten through 5th grade. The environmental curriculum packages will focus on a map and use it as part of the activities to educate the children. The classroom experience, combined with the outdoor activities, will provide the basis to motivate the children to weigh the various sides of environmental issues and to make informed, responsible decisions. The cooperative efforts between the teachers and environmental specialists will ensure the material is not only grade level appropriate but also technically sound.
Clarinda Lutheran School $5,000
Duane Miller, 707 W. Scidmore, Clarinda, IA 51632
Integrating Environmental Awareness into the School Curriculum
This project will integrate environmental awareness into the school curriculum and provide hands-on conservation and preservation experience. The grant provides funds to enhance existing wetlands, create a shallow pond, increase woodland species by planting 100 trees, establish a native prairie grassland, develop a naturalist club, and develop a field study notebook and chronology of the project and the wildlife population.
Davenport Community School District $5,000
Carol Webb, 902 E. 29th Street, Davenport, IA 52801
Outdoor Environmental Education Laboratory
The purpose of this project is to improve elementary environmental education by enhancing environmental teaching skills. The method is development of an outdoor environmental education laboratory in which students will confront the issues of habitat destruction, species loss, and waste disposal.
Hazardous Materials Training Research Institute $99,174
Pat Berntsen, 6301 Kirkwood Boulevard, SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Distance Supported Local Education Community College Model for Innovation and Expansion of Environmental Education and Training
The "Distance Supported Local Education Community College Model for Innovation and Expansion of Environmental Education and Training" program will provide environmental health and safety job training to students at four community colleges in Iowa, through teacher training sessions, the development of multi-media curricula, and the design and delivery of two environmental education courses.
Iowa Arboretum, Inc. $5,000
Rae Boysen, 1875 Peach Street, Madrid, IA 50156
Tree Collections
This grant funds a project to place instructional signs at the entrance to each collection of trees. By doing so, the Iowa Arboretum will be able to provide information on the qualities of each collection including conservation benefits, soil and water requirements, history, wildlife uses, food or crop production, and aesthetic value. The sign also may describe special care needs so that visitors can make informed decisions about plant choices.
Johnson County Soil and Water Conservation $4,934
Wayne Petersen, 238 Stevens Drive, Iowa City, IA 52240
Environmental Impacts of Agriculture
This project involves a series of workshops that will provide exposure and training to the non-farm sector on the environmental impacts of agriculture. The workshops will provide classroom training combined with field tours of farms and agri-business facilities. The project will provide hands-on exposure to a target audience of teachers, members of the Iowa City Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Development Program, representatives of local environmental groups, and the business and university community of Iowa City.
Kirkwood Community College $5,000
Douglas Feil, P. O. Box 2068, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Teaching Packages for Pre-school and Elementary School Teachers
This project is designed to improve environmental education at the pre-school and lower elementary level by enhancing environment teaching skills. The project will result in the development of four teaching packages. These packages and printed instructional guides will contain a working model that will assist teachers in organizing and presenting material for visual learners and will provide the teacher with hands-on training.
1992 Grants
Colo-Nesco Community School $5,000
Colo, IA 50056
Waste Not, Want Not
The "Waste Not, Want Not" project helps students understand and assess certain environmental issues. The project also helps educators design and demonstrate environmental curricula that foster international cooperation by addressing environmental issues.
Eastern Iowa Community College $4,300
Davenport, IA 52801
Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies Workshop
The "Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies Workshop" provides a one-week workshop for 25 educators at the high school level for the following disciplines: English, all basic sciences, and social studies.
Neighborhoods United $4,537
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Expansion of Iowa's Adopt-A-Stream Program
The "Expansion of Iowa's Adopt-A-Stream Program" fosters active and ongoing stewardship of our waterways by local residents and will improve the environment for all the area.
St. Joseph School District $1,500
Earlville, IA 52041
Rethinking Our Use of Recyclables
The "Rethinking Our Use of Recyclables" project contains methods for developing a recycling curriculum for grades 1 through 6.