Small Grant 2013 – “That’s the Tuolumne in my Tap!”
Small Grant: $5,000
“That’s the Tuolumne in my Tap” raises the awareness of urban students and their schools about the source of their water and what they can do to be good water stewards.
The Tuolumne River Trust conducted a total number of 185 classrooms presentations during the grant period of April 2013 to April 2014. 29 of these one hour classroom presentations, were funded through SFEP’s Small Grants Program, reaching about 700 students. In pre-presentation surveys, students averaged 41% correct answers to questions regarding the salmon life cycle, aquatic food chains, watersheds, threats to fish and wildlife, and water conservation. Following the presentations, students averaged 72% correct answers, for a 76% improvement.
Classroom presentations were performed in San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and northern Santa Clara Counties where the majority of water is provided by the Tuolumne River.
In addition, the Tuolumne River Trust organized two service learning projects, one being “the Great Race for Saving Water” with fourth graders from Walter Hays Elementary School in Palo Alto (240 participants). The second event was during a Garden Workday, working with parents and students at the Sunset Elementary School (San Francisco) to plant and maintain their native plant garden.
Since the grant was awarded, the Tuolumne River Trust has trained seven new volunteer educators.
Photos by the Tuolumne River Trust