Illinois Ag Connection - Illinois EPA Sponsors Interactive Environmental Education

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Illinois EPA Sponsors Interactive Environmental Education
Illinois Ag Connection - 10/24/2016

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) sponsored project "Dive In!" at Riverton Elementary School and Center Park, bringing an educational and entertaining day of environmental stewardship for over 200 third and fourth grade students. The students participated in a hands-on learning experience at a variety of activity stations, and were taught about the importance of protecting and conserving Illinois' air, land and water resources.

"This environmental stewardship day allows the students to have fun while learning in the outdoor classroom," noted Illinois EPA Acting Director Alec Messina. "With today's program, we also see an added benefit with the high school students preparing and learning these activities, allowing them to provide high quality education to the younger students who look up to them."

Riverton High School students presented a majority of the activities, with the exception of the Illinois Department of Natural Resource's presentation on "Aquatic Habitat and Stewardship" and the Illinois Raptor Center's "Raptors 101" educational program with live birds. These activities were presented to the younger students with active learning discussions and games, combining education with entertainment. Students were taught about Illinois Raptors, watersheds, different soils of the state, aquatic habitat and animals, recycling, trees, the water cycle, water conservation and more.

Dive In!, sponsored by the Illinois EPA, was created in 2007 to take environmental education to students around the state to areas that do not already have a stewardship or conservation day program in place. The Agency's goal is for the program to take root and become an ongoing annual event. The hands-on, outdoors classroom approach is a fun and exciting way for children to learn and bring home an appreciation for the environment to their families. Overall, it is intended to bring environmental awareness to our youth so they can develop into good stewards of our environment.

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