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Finding Our Way is a hands-on learning program that gets students involved in the environmental sciences of their surroundings and fosters lifelong interest in protecting our environment. Finding Our Way is a STEAM outreach program between 吃瓜头条 Department of Biological Sciences and local public school teachers. Programs are also offered in the summer depending on the availability of funding.听
Ridgefield Playhouse Documentary Screening
THE LITTLE THINGS THAT RUN THE WORLD
Tuesday, November 18, doors open at 6pm, screening at 7pm, panel discussion to follow
NRWA, the Pollinator Pathway, and local partners are thrilled to host this screening of the new documentary, THE LITTLE THINGS THAT RUN THE WORLD, from High Plains Films.
鈥淭HE LITTLE THINGS THAT RUN THE WORLD is a passionate and comprehensive deep dive into the ecological crisis facing flying insects and the ripple effects on global biodiversity.鈥 Doc Screenings International Film Festival
The film introduces viewers to a diverse group of scientists, nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, and general bug enthusiasts鈥搃ncluding some local Pollinator Pathway organizers鈥揺xploring the importance of flying insects amid rapid declines in their numbers.
The film documents the mysteries of the declines alongside creative and heroic human efforts to change the course of evolutionary history. What is causing this extinction crisis? What can be done to reverse the trend? THE LITTLE THINGS THAT RUN THE WORLD attempts to find answers to those questions and more.
Dive Deep into the Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound Mentor Teachers Elizabeth Brown and Curt Hayes from the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy will lead a 鈥淒ive Deep into Long Island Sound鈥 workshop at Meigs Point at Hammonasset Beach State Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. Participants will explore contrasting environments to investigate adaptations, energy transfer, and the gathering of evidence to support a scientific argument. All activities incorporate NGSS standards and Ocean Literacy Principles. Educational materials and lots of resources are included!
Click 听for the agenda and registration information!
Connecticut鈥檚 Beardsley Zoo invites residents to become Citizen-Scientist volunteers and participate in a 鈥淔rogWatch鈥 census in area wetlands. In a collaboration between the Zoo, The Maritime Aquarium, and Yale鈥檚 Peabody Museum of Natural History, volunteers will make regular visits to wetlands in their neighborhoods and keep a frog log to record the frog and toad calls they hear. Working with experts, volunteers will learn about local frog species, then visit wetlands once or twice a week for about 15 minutes each night this spring and summer.
During this training, participants will learn about citizen science, the important role amphibians play in the ecosystem, and how to identify ten species of frogs heard in Connecticut. After the training, participants will be sent a virtual assessment they need to complete in order to become a certified听FrogWatch听Volunteer.
All trainings are held from 7:00-8:30pm and are free with suggested donation.
Join us for the Danbury Regional Pollinator Pathway Meeting!
On January 16th, 2025 at 4pm, Science Building Room 125.
2024 Highlights
Demystifying Climate Change – Science At Night With NOAA鈥檚 Tom DiLiberto
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Recent climate events have us all wondering what the future holds for our homes and communities. Please join us for an evening Climate 101 talk with expert, Tom DiLiberto, who will dispel myths, answer questions, and share best practices and solutions for a changing climate that can help build resilient communities.
Visit the event page for more information as well as the event recording.
Aquatic Restoration Research Symposium Winners
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We are happy to announce the winners of the 2024 Aquatic Science Restoration Symposium at Danbury High School. The group project鈥檚 name was 鈥淕o Green or Go Home鈥 and earned the title of best poster, idea, and proposed solution for the current issue of storm water management at Danbury H.S. One of the group members, Gabriella Judnarine, is also a former Spring Watershed Steward Ambassador (SWSA), and we are proud to have had the opportunity to mentor her in the watershed sciences. In her words, 鈥渢he program was an amazing opportunity to understand the environment and real-life issues that are going on in our community. With the steps we took as a group, we hope to motivate others to join in on the movement to better our community and the change starts with us.鈥
Congratulations to Gabby and her group!
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Chemistry Day at 吃瓜头条
Part of our program鈥檚 goal is to connect you with other departments. This year we had an opportunity to engage Danbury High School chemistry students in college level experiments and meet faculty members. Check out this video highlighting what they did!
2024 Finding Our Way 吃瓜头条-DPS Spring Opportunities!
Announcing the 2024 SWSA Spring Program. This program is open to all Danbury High School students, preferably in aquatic sciences or past SWSA students. If you are interested in working outside this spring, please apply!
Link to apply is below as well as four forms that need to be completed and sent to听silvamar@wcsu.edu
Apply Here:
Forms for download:
- SWSA Medical Release form
- 2024 SWSA Student Application
- SWSA Photo Release
- SWSA Student Information Sheet
Aquatic Restoration Research Symposium!
In the spirit of last year鈥檚 winning project titled 鈥淯nlocking the potential of water quality through biodiversity and impervious surfaces鈥, we are happy to announce the 2024 Aquatic Restoration Research Symposium happening on May 22nd and 23rd (9am-12pm) at the Danbury High School.
*Prize money for best symposium group project*
Announcing the 2024 吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition for Middle School Students!听
A student competition focused on Environmental Stewardship, sponsored by 吃瓜头条 Finding Our Way STEM Outreach Office.
Application Entries Due: 22 April 2024听 听
Reports Due: 3 June 2024
Winners Announced: 11 June 2024
Download the听2024 Stewardship Application,听2024 Stewardship Competition Details, and the provided听Final Report Project Timeline 2024
Want to see how you will be graded?听See the grading rubric here.
Email completed forms to: guimaraes007@wcsu.edu
Final Projects must include:
1. Stewardship Report 2.听Project Timeline听3.听Pictures of the project or other evidence
- Summary of announcement for parents in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Click here to download.
In 2022 we celebrate the B-WET program鈥檚 20th anniversary
In the 20 years Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) has been working around the country, it has been a powerful catalyst for environmental literacy. The B-WET program and the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) framework support environmental education, foster student success and interest in learning, and empower students to implement environmental solutions in their own communities. Since 2002, the B-WET program has awarded over $110 million to support 874 projects. The program reaches thousands of educators and tens of thousands of students every year. Finding Our Way is just one of these fantastic projects that is funded by B-WET.
To learn more about what the B-WET program click on:
Student Opportunities
The Funny Thing 吃瓜头条 Climate Change Contest
Hundreds of cash awards available, ranging from $50 to $1,500!
Deadline: Monday, June 13, 2022
| The is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, and become advocates for positive change. The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest theme: THE FUNNY THING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways, like humor, satire, or kitsch, to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis.
Details:
and听Bow Seat鈥檚听, where you and your students can access curated resources such as articles, primary literature, etc. |
2022 Summer Watershed Stewardship Ambassador Program
This program is open to all Danbury High School Students preferably Sophomore and Junior aquatic science students. A paid ambassador program focused on Environmental Stewardship, sponsored by 吃瓜头条 Finding Our Way STEM Outreach Office.听
Click below to apply!
For more information see the High School Summer Opportunities page!
Announcing the 2022 吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition for Seventh Graders!
A student competition focused on Environmental Stewardship, sponsored by 吃瓜头条 Finding Our Way STEM Outreach Office.
2022 Stewardship Application
Lake Symposium 2021
For more information, please contact Dr. Theodora Pinou, professor of Biology, at Pinout@wcsu.edu
If you would like to attend the Lake Symposium there are 3 sessions.
If you missed any of the sessions CLICK HERE to watch the recording!听
Congratulations to the 2021 吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition Winner
2021 吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition winner Jahmiya Beamon-Scott with her Westside Academy teacher Beth Manning
Link here to 吃瓜头条 News
to New Milford’s HamletHub
Lake Symposium 2020
For more information, please contact Dr. Theodora Pinou, professor of Biology, at Pinout@wcsu.edu
If you would like to attend the Lake Symposium there are 3 sessions.
If you missed any of the sessions CLICK HERE to watch the recording!听
Announcing the First Place Winner for the
2020听吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition
for Seventh Graders!
Eva George, Westside Middle School Academy, receives First Place 吃瓜头条 NOAA B-WET Stewardship Award for 2020!
(Click here) To learn more about her project!
吃瓜头条 Press Release ~听Local Middle Schooler wins NOAA B-Wet Stewardship Award
Announcing the 2020听吃瓜头条 Environmental Stewardship Competition for Seventh Graders!
Looking for something to do while you are inside?
Apply for the Stewardship Competition!听A听student听competition听focused on听Environmental Stewardship, sponsored by听吃瓜头条听听Finding听Our Way STEM Outreach Office.听听
(Click the above link for more details!)
(Click above link for details)
Congratulations to the seventh-grade students from Danbury and surrounding area schools who are winners of the 2019 NOAA B-WET Stewardship Competition.
Front row, l-r: Joshua Hattar, Diego Soto, Sabrina Serpa-Smith, Marisol Tapia, Juliet Dahlstrom, Joshua Maruffi, Esther Ribiero, Sereen Ammezane and Jake Ledan. (Missing is Matthew Waldron.)
Back row, l-r: Program Assistant Carol Ball; Jonathan Neuhausel, Magnet School Coach, Westside Middle School Academy; Program Director Dr. Dora Pinou; and 吃瓜头条 Professor of Biology Dr. Hannah Reynolds. (Missing is Carrie Rowe, Science Teacher, Rogers Park Middle School.)
2019 was a great year for many organizations!
Read about Finding Our Way, and other community organizations in an article from The Ridgefield Press. (
Water Stewardship Advocates: Make a Video and compete for $500! Click the link here!
Here is an opportunity for your students to win $500 for creating a video that addresses key issues related to stewardship!听
THREE FINDING OUR WAY ALUMNI EARN AWARDS
AT 2019 CONNECTICUT SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR
KHUSHI PARIKH, SRISHTI RAMAKRISHNAN, AND SHARVA KARTHIKEYAN ALL WINNERS!
(Click above link for details)
Khushi Parikh, a ninth-grader at Danbury High School, won multiple awards for her project, 鈥淓ngineering a Polylectic Biomimetic Micro Aerial Vehicle to Pollinate Flowers.鈥
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