Haywood Waterways Association
Kids in the Creek
Kids in The Creek program was started in 1997. The focus of this program is
to expose all 8th grade students in Haywood County to a hands-on water
quality activity and training. Each year approximately 750 students are
involved in the Kids in The Creek program. Each student is involved in 6
hours of instruction. To date Haywood Waterways has taught over 9,750
students and has provided over 58,500 hours of instruction.
Every fall Haywood Waterways teaches every 8th grade student in Haywood County about how important clean water is to people and the environment. In the fall Haywood Waterways visits the class room twice and sets up a field day for the 8th grade student. The students are taught about the importance of clean water and how to detect clean water based on biological samples collected. The first phase of Kids in The Creek is taught in the classroom as an introduction to the aquatic environment. The second phase is taught in the field. Haywood Waterways sets up four stations where the students learn about watersheds, whater chemistry, fish, and macro-invertebrates. During the field phase the students collect biological data from the Pigeon River. The final phase is taught in the classroom where the students use the data they collected from the river to determine the water quality.
As part of the Kids in The Creek experience each student is presented with a t-shirt for the participation in the program. In 2010 year Haywood Waterways started a new t-shirt design contest. After participating in the Kids in The Creek program the students will be asked to submit a t-shirt design as it relates to their experience in the Kids in The Creek program. The student with the winning design will have their art represented on the next year's Kids in The Creek t-shirt.
The Kids in The Program Creek remains one of the biggest events of the year. Teachers and students alike look forward to leaving the classroom for some real hands on learning. The following are quotes from teacher and students who have benefitted from this program:
Quotes from Teachers:
"Having been an 8th grade science teacher for many years, I can attest to the importance of "hands-on" experiences when teaching science concepts. During Kids in The Creek the students get to actually touch real fish and real insects to see the tolerant and intolerant species of wildlife that live in their community. They also get to test the water in their community. This does more to increase their understanding of water and water quality than anything that I could do in the classroom. Kids in the Creek has been a valuable learning tool for many years and something the students and I looked forward to every year."
"We are now learning about water quality, because students have attended Kids in the Creek we are able to use it as background knowledge, and when discussing a topic such as nitrates, students can refer back to the experience. Because of attending Kids in the Creek, topics that can be too abstract for students are made easy to understand through real-life examples in their own backyard."
Quotes from Students:
"It was great to get up, out of class and actually, see, feel, and experience the physical qualities of the water."
"It helps me to be a steward of our natural resources. After Kids in the Creek, I finally get what is meant by, 'We all live downstream.' "
"I have a better understanding of the reciprocal nature of the environment. We affect the environment. It, in turn, affects us."
"Hands-on was more fun because we actually get to feel what we are learning about. We put what we learned into practice."
"It would be a big loss if kids after us didn't get to do Kids in the Creek."
"Kids in the Creek is one of my favorite memories from 8th grade."
Even with the recent budget cuts in education, Kids in The Creek remains part of the educational curriculum, but funding is *tight*. Every year we need $10,000 to fund this program. Haywood Waterways continues to write grants and collect donations to keep this valuable resource ongoing. You can help us keep this educational experience going by donating directly to this program.
Kids in the Creek
Kids in The Creek program was started in 1997. The focus of this program is
to expose all 8th grade students in Haywood County to a hands-on water
quality activity and training. Each year approximately 750 students are
involved in the Kids in The Creek program. Each student is involved in 6
hours of instruction. To date Haywood Waterways has taught over 9,750
students and has provided over 58,500 hours of instruction.
Every fall Haywood Waterways teaches every 8th grade student in Haywood County about how important clean water is to people and the environment. In the fall Haywood Waterways visits the class room twice and sets up a field day for the 8th grade student. The students are taught about the importance of clean water and how to detect clean water based on biological samples collected. The first phase of Kids in The Creek is taught in the classroom as an introduction to the aquatic environment. The second phase is taught in the field. Haywood Waterways sets up four stations where the students learn about watersheds, whater chemistry, fish, and macro-invertebrates. During the field phase the students collect biological data from the Pigeon River. The final phase is taught in the classroom where the students use the data they collected from the river to determine the water quality.
As part of the Kids in The Creek experience each student is presented with a t-shirt for the participation in the program. In 2010 year Haywood Waterways started a new t-shirt design contest. After participating in the Kids in The Creek program the students will be asked to submit a t-shirt design as it relates to their experience in the Kids in The Creek program. The student with the winning design will have their art represented on the next year's Kids in The Creek t-shirt.
The Kids in The Program Creek remains one of the biggest events of the year. Teachers and students alike look forward to leaving the classroom for some real hands on learning. The following are quotes from teacher and students who have benefitted from this program:
Quotes from Teachers:
"Having been an 8th grade science teacher for many years, I can attest to the importance of "hands-on" experiences when teaching science concepts. During Kids in The Creek the students get to actually touch real fish and real insects to see the tolerant and intolerant species of wildlife that live in their community. They also get to test the water in their community. This does more to increase their understanding of water and water quality than anything that I could do in the classroom. Kids in the Creek has been a valuable learning tool for many years and something the students and I looked forward to every year."
"We are now learning about water quality, because students have attended Kids in the Creek we are able to use it as background knowledge, and when discussing a topic such as nitrates, students can refer back to the experience. Because of attending Kids in the Creek, topics that can be too abstract for students are made easy to understand through real-life examples in their own backyard."
Quotes from Students:
"It was great to get up, out of class and actually, see, feel, and experience the physical qualities of the water."
"It helps me to be a steward of our natural resources. After Kids in the Creek, I finally get what is meant by, 'We all live downstream.' "
"I have a better understanding of the reciprocal nature of the environment. We affect the environment. It, in turn, affects us."
"Hands-on was more fun because we actually get to feel what we are learning about. We put what we learned into practice."
"It would be a big loss if kids after us didn't get to do Kids in the Creek."
"Kids in the Creek is one of my favorite memories from 8th grade."
Even with the recent budget cuts in education, Kids in The Creek remains part of the educational curriculum, but funding is *tight*. Every year we need $10,000 to fund this program. Haywood Waterways continues to write grants and collect donations to keep this valuable resource ongoing. You can help us keep this educational experience going by donating directly to this program.