The Potomac Highlands Watershed School 

Hands-On Projects

Cacapon Institute’s eForums and other eSchool activities, when coupled with hands-on conservation or research projects, can provide a full Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE), an expansive form of Project Based Learning.  CI encourages eSchool classes to look into local issues, identify a problem that would be improved by hands-on efforts, and to then develop and implement a plan to address the issue.  We can help find technical and financial resources to support such activities.

Below are hands-on watershed restoration and conservation projects from the community of schools using the Potomac Highlands Watershed School. 

Musselman High School, Inwood, WV

CI's work with the students of Musselman High began in 2009 when we helped students conduct a school grounds survey to identify possible sources of non point source pollution for remediation in the coming years.   Follow the links to see what Musselman students have done so far to "Green" their school.

  • Tree Planting and Low-Mow Area Created, 2009, Spring.  Musselman students worked with the lawn maintenance crews to establish a low-mow area and plant 20 trees.

  • Green Roof Installation., 2009,  Earth Day.  Students installed 700 square feet of green roof to reduce stormwater runoff and lower heating and cooling costs for the school.  Planting a green roof reduces stormwater run off because much of the rain water is collected in the plants and soil and never leaves the roof.

  • Wetland Enhancement, 2010-2011  *Ongoing project.  CI's Ben Alexandro has been working with the W.E.T. Club at Musselman to study wetland function, and to plan and implement a biodiversity enhancement of the existing campus wetland.

Rain Garden

Paw Paw School, Paw Paw, WV

2011, Spring

Paw Paw School's students design and construct a rain garden on their school grounds.   This was a joint project by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society and Cacapon Institute.

Urban Tree Canopy Planting

Wildwood Middle School, Jefferson County, WV

2011, Spring

On April 11, 2011 ten Redbud trees were planted at Wildwood Middle School.  With the help of Cacapon Institute and Wildwood science teacher Carolyn Thomas, Environmental Club students led the planting. 

Watershed Tour

Gonzaga College High School, Washington D.C.

2009, Spring

Gonzaga students toured the Pope Branch watershed with Jim Woodsworth, Director of Tree Planting and Stewardship for Casey Trees.  Webpage includes a Google Map of the tour area.

Tree Planting, Riparian Farmland

Turner Ashby High School, Page County, VA

2009, Spring

Turner Ashby students, working with the Shenandoah Pure Water Forum, planted trees at Silver Lake.  Link is off-site to the Pure Water Forum with another link to new articles.

 Turner Ashby High School ecology students Emma Dillon, 16, and Kelly Wells, 19, plant a tree on a farm in Dayton on Wednesday in an effort to help control runoff into Silver Lake. The students planted red maple, pawpaw, sawtooth oak, hickory, northern red oak, chinkapin oak, red osier dogwood, pine and hazelnut.

Erosion Control Project

Buffalo Gap High School, VA

2008, Spring

Students solve an erosion problem at Beverly Manor Elementary school to reduce sediment pollution.

Tree Planting, Stormwater Pond Riparian Area

Jefferson High School, Jefferson County, WV

2008, Spring

Students planted more than 100 trees and expanded the no-mow area around the school's stormwater pond.

Stream Table Construction

East Hardy High School, Baker, WV

2008, Spring

Students built four stream tables for use by local non-profits to teach watershed hydrology.

Tree Planting on School Grounds

Capon Bridge Middle School, Hampshire County, WV

2008, Spring

Students from the Potomac Headwaters Leaders of Watersheds planted ten trees in the school's outdoor picnic area.

Tree Huggers! 

East Hardy Middle School, Baker, WV  2005-2006

About 40 students formed a club to do a number of service projects.  They passed out trees to younger students on Arbor Day (the national day to think about the importance of trees), they planted trees, they cleaned a stream, and they helped with school recycling.  The students took pictures for you to see here.

Deer Exclusion Fence Installed

Hampshire High School, Romney, WV

2005, Fall

Environmental Science students, after participating in the Oh Deer! eForum, installed a deer exclusion fence for long term study of forest floor habitat and regeneration.
 See also the links below to more CI science and education projects. 

Farmers as Producers of Clean Water

Headwaters Farms

Deer Exclusion Fence

Once There Were Beavers

 

Cacapon Institute, as part of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Education Work Group, will help schools connect with local watershed and conservation groups.  We encourage schools and watershed groups alike to use our Potomac Highland Watershed School to connect students to local issues in the context of regional watershed protection.  Connecting students to real world activities within an academic framework is the foundation for a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience, a Project Based Learning requirement for D.C., MD, PA, and VA students.  Funding for these projects came from the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The MARPAT Foundation, and NOAA-BWET.