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Reeds Spring High School Wins President's Environmental Youth Award

Release Date: 04/14/2008
Contact Information: Denise Morrison, (913) 551-7402, [email protected]

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., April 14, 2008) - The Reeds Spring High School Stream Team in Reeds Spring, Mo., has won EPA Region 7's 2007 President's Environmental Youth Award for its water stewardship project. Students monitor local streams each month after school and on weekends. The stream team competed with other groups throughout Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Stream team members collected water samples and analyzed water quality on a regular basis at specific sites on a local stream or river in southwest Missouri. After collecting water samples, students returned to the school's laboratory to conduct tests for eight indicators of stream health: fecal coliform, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, living organisms, and clarity. Data is gathered, analyzed and sent to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to be utilized in a state-wide water quality database.

Students researched and designed a project on water monitoring. They prepared maps, graphs, and spreadsheets of data to illustrate results of water testing. Stream team members gave presentations to school staff and organizations to inform the community about protecting its streams and how individuals can become involved in improving the quality of Missouri's streams.

"These students are the future caretakers of Missouri's streams," said John B. Askew, Region 7 administrator. "They are adding tremendous value in the protection and enhancement of Missouri's waterways."

Students have partnerships with universities, state agencies, and local organizations. They work with University of Missouri at Columbia staff in organizing stream teams to work on the university's volunteer lake testing project.

Every year, each of EPA's 10 regional offices selects a youth award winner to represent the region at the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Reeds Spring students will travel to Washington to receive their award April 17.

The awards have been presented annually since 1971 to honor students in kindergarten through 12th grade who develop projects that help protect their environment and promote environmental awareness in their communities.

Information on the President's Environmental Youth Awards and projects can be found at www.epa.gov/peya/. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 31. They can be obtained from Denise Morrison, Office of Public Affairs, EPA Region 7, 901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101. Phone: (913) 551-7402, toll-free: (800) 223-0425, [email protected].