Education & Outreach

For further information about any education programs described, please contact NNSWCD Education Coordinator Faye Andrashko at 804 333-3525, ext. 113, or faye.andrashko@va.nacdnet.net.

• Ag Day
• Envirothon
• Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts Scholarship Awards
• Youth Conservation Camp
• Holiday Lake Forestry Camp
• Conservation Poster Contest
• School Programs
• Rain Barrel Workshops
• Future Workshops and Outreach

Ag Day

What: Agriculture Appreciation Day for third-graders
When: April 29, 2010
Where: Northern Neck Farm Museum, Route 360, near Burgess, VA

The NNSWCD held its annual Agriculture Appreciation Day for all Northern Neck third-graders on April 29, 2010. The event was held outdoors on the grounds of the Northern Neck Farm Museum. Some 175 Northern Neck students participated.

The event, through hands-on exhibits and SOL-based presentations on aquaculture, farm animals, and bees, vegetables, forestry, grains, horticulture, soils and conservation, and a tour of the Farm Museum, gave students a firsthand look at agriculture and its importance to all of us and our daily lives. Based upon teacher and students comments, we know that the day provided valuable learning experiences that the students truly enjoyed.

Envirothon is an internationally recognized environmental competition for 9th through 12th graders in Virginia and across the US and Canada.

The Virginia Envirothon is a natural resources competition for high school students. Students who participate learn stewardship and management concepts and work to solve real and hypothetical environmental problems. The program is field oriented, community based and gives students an opportunity to work with natural resource professionals.

Envirothon began in 1979 and is now the largest nonathletic environmental high school competition that challenges students to put the information that they have learned to solving real-life environmental problems.

Participating teams of five students compete first in a local competition, then may advance to a regional event, with one team from each region advancing to State. The winner from the State competition goes on to the national event, sponsored by Canon, Inc. In 2006, the Virginia Team won the Canon Envirothon Competition out of 52 teams. Each team member received a $5,000 college scholarship and other prizes.

Participation in Envirothon encourages life skills like team-building, critical thinking, decision making, problem solving and communications skills. Envirothon involves training in five natural resource categories: Soils, Aquatics, Forestry, Wildlife, and a Special Topic. The 2010 Special Topic is "Protection of Groundwater Through Urban, Agricultural and Environmental Planning."

In 2009, the Fort Defiance High School team from Augusta County won State environmental honors and competed in the National Canon Envirothon in Ashville, NC.

Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts Scholarship Awards

Each year the NNSWCD locally promotes the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts Educational Foundation (VASWCDEF) Scholarship Awards Program. The Program supports the education of Virginia citizens in technical fields involving natural resource conservation and environmental protection through financial support to students majoring in or showing a strong desire to major in a course curriculum related to natural resource conservation and/or environmental studies. Four (4) $1000 scholarships are awarded throughout the state each year.

Individual applicants must be full-time students enrolled in, or who have applied to a college freshman level curriculum. Applicants must reside or attend school in one of the four counties served by the NNSWCD: Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond or Westmoreland. Applicants must document a class ranking in the top 20% of his or her graduating class, a 3.0 or greater Grade Point Average or appropriate equivalent of individual scholastic achievement. This year, the NNSWCD's nominee, Sam Frere of White Stone, was awarded a $1000 VASWCDEF Scholarship.

Youth Conservation Camp

For the past 30 years, the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD) has sponsored a weeklong summer conservation camp for Virginia high school students on the campus of Virginia Tech.

The program brings together about 90 interested students for a week of learning about Virginia's natural resources from conservation professionals and faculty of Virginia Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-on and outdoors.

Each year the NNSWCD accepts applications to sponsor two campers to the weeklong session. Applicants must be in grades 9-12 during the academic school year and cannot have previously attended. In 2010, the total cost per student is $550.00.

The 2009 Youth Conservation Camp was held July 12 -18, 2009, at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. NNSWCD sponsored three campers, Sam Frere of White Stone, Karston Coates of Colonial Beach, and Hayden Garlan of Callao. In addition, former YCC camper Charli Crandall of Colonial Beach served as Intern Counselor. For information on scholarships to this camp, please contact the District at (804) 333-3525, ext 113 or faye.andrashko@va.nacdnet.net.

Holiday Lake Forestry Camp

In March, the NNSWCD promotes the Holiday Lake Forestry Camp to schools, the public, and partnering agencies by offering to cover the registration fee for a prospective applicant from the Northern Neck area.

Applicants 13-16 years of age are considered after nomination by a teachers, forestry and wildlife professionals, Soil & Water Districts, 4-H and Scout leaders, etc. Prospective campers should have a desire to explore and experience activities in forestry and wildlife-related careers, or have an interest in hands-on activities in resource conservation.

The 2010 Campwas will be held June 14-18, at Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. For information on future scholarships to this annual camp, please contact the District at (804) 333-3525, ext 113, or faye.andrashko@va.nacdnet.net.

School Programs

NNSWCD sponsored a 2009 Soil Essay Contest, for Northern Neck middle-school writers. sponsored a writing contest, “Tap into the Wonders Beneath Your Feet: Dig Up the Dirt on Soil!” The objective was to have students write essays to creatively promote the wonders of soil and all it offers us in our everyday lives. The first-place winner of that contest, Alexandra Pitman, now a rising eighth-grader at Northumberland Middle School, and three other Northern Neck middle school students, enjoyed a July 21 chaperoned trip the Smithsonian Institution Natural History Museum’s DIG IT!: The Secrets of Soil exhibiton in Washington, DC. Read Alexandra's essay .

The Enviroscape Watershed model--Nonpoint Source--with riparian buffer and groundwater kits demonstrate what constitutes a watershed, types of nonpoint source pollution, and how to prevent such pollution. This educational resource is valuable for preschool through adult audiences.

Rain Barrel Workshops

How many gallons of water run off your roof in a 1-inch rain?

Believe it or not, from a 40-by-20 foot roof you can collect up to 500 gallons of water!!!

If you want to conserve water or even lower water costs, a rain barrel is just one step in promoting environmental conservation practices of wastewater management. A rain barrel collects and stores rainwater from your rooftop to use later for things like lawn and garden watering and pet washing. A barrel will save water for use outdoors during peak summer months, and it will save paying a higher water bill or using your well and electricity.

Future Workshops and Outreach

To be scheduled - please check back.