News25 Years of Saying Yes!
Our Deputy Director, Claudine Rehn, shares what she admires most about our community: they always say yes to helping out on the Children’s Clean Water Festival. Celebrating it’s 25th year, the Children’s Clean Water Festival is an immersive, outdoor learning experience for all the fourth graders in Tillamook County that focuses on clean water.
Volunteers are vital to the success of the day and there’s ways to help for every interest and ability.
Tour Guides
Imagine over 300 students in one place to learn about Salmon Homes, Marine Debris & Plovers, Salmon Lifecycle, Macroinvertebrates, and salmon dissection, all in one day! It’s a big challenge, but thankfully volunteer tour guides step in. Students are split into their classes, crating 12 different groups, and tour guides lead them throughout the day. Each class spends about 30 min at each activity before moving to the next.
Activity Leaders
SO many of our community members are experts! Whether they be teachers, engineers, biologists, librarians, park rangers, community leaders or anything else, they make our stations happen. Salmon Biologists from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife guide students through their first salmon dissection, even letting them touch the slimy carcass. Education Managers teach students salmon through an interactive salmon lifecycle game where they have to “survive” being eaten by birds and make it to their natal spawning grounds to reproduce. Community Leaders show students the importance of a healthy environment by having them create ideal salmon habitat using felt.
Behind the Scenes
You can’t spend a full day doing water education without planning in advance! Volunteers help gather supplies and set up the space. They help plan activities and think through how best to engage fourth graders in active learning. Every step of the way, volunteers are vital in making sure the day runs smoothly.
Interested in volunteering on the Oregon coast and making a difference in your community? Click the button below to check out current opportunities