Requirements for Participation in SWRP

Opportunities Within the SWRP Program

• SWRP Teacher/group leader applicants must attend the 5 day Riparian and Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring: A Technical Training Workshop, during the summer.

• Attendance at all (2-3) SWRP teacher meetings through the year is mandatory for new teachers.

• Attendance and presentation at the SWRP Summit, held in May at University of Portland.

• All teachers are required to maintain a close working relationship with SWRP program staff through the year.  

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Long-term Watershed Health Monitoring: Participating teachers will train their students within the classroom (in most cases) the skills necessary to engage in monitoring of local stream sites. Students and teachers perform a comprehensive scientific assessment of the health of the two stream sites at least twice each year. Target sites will be chosen in conjunction with SWRP staff and local agencies.

Technical Support: An extensive network of technical support is available through SWRP staff and scientists from numerous participating agencies and organizations. A unique aspect of SWRP is the emphasis placed on the quality assurance/quality control program and the attainment of research experience and high quality data.

Classroom Support: SWRP staff and partners can provide excellent classroom assistance and presentations.  Invite us to come teach a portion of the monitoring techniques or introduce the breadth of the SWRP program including who will use your student-collected data.

Annual Student Watershed Summit: Each year, 200-300 students representing 20-25 schools throughout the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area gather at University of Portland for this half-day event. Students present their research findings and experiences to other SWRP participants, scientists from local agencies and representatives from community groups.

Teacher Meetings: Two to three teacher meetings are held periodically throughout the school year, in the late afternoons. Meetings focus on dispersal of information and supplies, updated plans and procedures for SWRP, exchange of ideas and discussion time.

Evaluative Feedback: Feedback from teachers and students participating in SWRP is critical for project evaluation and development. Evaluation surveys, student attitude surveys and documentation of articles about SWRP students from local and school papers are used.

Scientific Inquiry: SWRP is currently working to develop easy inroads to individual student inquiry projects using the skills and techniques learned in the SWRP program. Teachers and Students also have access to SWRP’s database containing local watershed health data for every year starting with 1992.

CIM/CAM and EALRS Educational Benchmarks: The SWRP program addresses several CIM/CAM and EALRS educational benchmarks established by the Department of Education in both Washington and Oregon.  The attached list outlines the areas addressed when SWRP is incorporated into your science curriculum.

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