During this four-day course, educators will be immersed in the culture and ecology of Smith Island, a small fishing community located on the Chesapeake Bay. Steeped in Chesapeake folklore and heritage, Smith Island is the largest inhabited offshore island in the Bay. Through this Institute, participants will gain insight into island culture to better understand how the community has interacted with the Bay for more than 300 years. Additionally, participants will explore the Bay’s extensive wetlands, underwater grass beds and oyster reefs by foot, canoe and workboat.
At the conclusion of the Institute, participants will have received the professional development necessary to engage students in watershed experiences that are academically challenging, investigative in nature and promote youth-led stewardship of our water resources. Additionally, this training has been designed to ensure that participants acquire the skills and content information needed to implement a Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) that meets the state Standards of Learning.
Tuition for the course will be $125.00 and this will cover the cost of food, lodging, and boat transportation across the Chesapeake Bay and around Smith Island. A non-refundable deposit of $25.00 is due at registration. Transportation to and from Reedville, Virginia will be the participant’s responsibility.
Capital Region Earth Force educators should contact Jessica Bromelkamp at jbromelkamp@earthforce.org or (703) 838-9074 for more information.
Chesapeake Classroom Alumni should contact Cindy Duncan at cduncan@cbf.org or 804-241-3178. Only eight Chesapeake Classroom and eight Earth Force Alumni will be selected for this advanced course so please reserve your space immediately.
