ENVIRONMENTAL AND EDUCATION OUTREACH
Poster/Essay Contest - This contest is held annually by the Charleston Conservation District. The contest promotes conservation education for our youth and recognizes all winners in each grade category. Topics for contests rotate on conservation topics such as soils and water quality and conform to the State Science Standards. The poster contest is open to all classes in K-5th grades and special education classes in public and private schools in Charleston County; the Essay contest is open to grades 5 – 9th graders and special education classes. The Contest Topic for 2017 was "Healthy Soils are Full of Life!" See our Poster/Essay Contest page for winners!
SC Envirothon - The Envirothon is a program for high school students to learn more about our natural environment. The Envirothon tests the students knowledge on topics such as soils, water resources, forestry, wildlife and current environmental issues. This competition is held in the spring in an outdoor setting. The winning team may then go on to represent South Carolina at the National Envirothon. The District sponsors teams for this event. The District sponsored two teams from Wando High School for the 2017 Competition on May 5th at the Clemson University Sandhill Research & Education Center. We are proud to announce that Wando HS placed 3rd in the oral presentation category and were only a couple of points behind 3rd place overall! We would like to congratulate Jessica Herbert, Team Coach from Wando HS, for their many extra hours of preparation for this event. If you are interested in learning more about the envirothon, check out the website. The 2017 Winning Team was Spartanburg High School Team, Spartanburg, SC.
See picture above of 2017 Winning Envirothon Team! (Bottom Row, right)
Camp Wildwood of South Carolina- Camp Wildwood. a hands-on, outdoor environmental camp, provides students in the 10-12th grades with "the knowledge and appreciation needed to protect and wisely use our natural resources. according to the Department of Natural Resources website." Camp activities included: Instruction in fisheries, forestry, firearm safety, first aid, and other topics as well as classes conducted by professional resources staff members. Campers have an opportunity to participate in outdoor sports such as softball, swimming, and volleyball. The camp was held June 19-25, 2016 at Kings Mountain State Park, SC. The District sponsors students by paying the $200 registration fee for each student. The District sponsored 2 students this year: Rachel Nye and Kehler Stockamp-Perez from James Island Charter School.
Contact Debbie Eckard if your school would like to be sponsored!
Charleston County Earthday Festival - Each year the Charleston Soil & Water conservation District participates as an exhibitor in the Charleston County Earth Day Festival, and was held at Riverfront Park, North Charleston this past April 15, 2017. This venue gives the District and other environmental Agencies/Exhibitors the opportunity to engage and educate hundreds of visitors about water quality and building a greener Lowcountry. It serves as a gathering and celebration for Charleston's environmental community and to provide an opportunity to highlight the Lowcountry's environmental challenges and successes. The District's exhibit focused on Water Quality Conservation and water runoff issues in our Watershed. We set up a Coastal Watershed Display that gave students a hands-on lesson on how stormwater runoff pollutes our waters and streams in Charleston County. It was a great Conservation Day!
See District Photos of Charleston County Festival above. (3rd and 4th row)
Fourth Grade Foresters Earthday/Arbor Day Program - The District promotes Earth Day and Arbor Day programs to students in Charleston County Schools. Arbor Day is celebrated in South Carolina the first Friday in December. As a sponsor of the Fourth Grade Foresters Program, we sponsor fourth grade classes by providing seedlings for each student. "Twiggy the Tree" gives the class a program and presents each student with a seedling to take home and plant. We also have been an annual participant in the Charleston AFB Earth Day Event. We presented a water qualtiy program to Chaleston County fourth graders who participate in this great event. A component of our education outreach included demonstrationing a coastal watershed using a hands on Enviroscape model to demonstrate the impacts of stomwater runoff to a coastal watershed. This past December, we held an Arbor Day Program at Edward A. Burns Elementary School. There were 85 students who took trees home with them to plant. Shown above (2nd row) are Arbor Day pictures at Edward A. Burns Elementary School.
If you are interested in having a program on Arbor Day, December 1,2017, contact Debbie Eckard!
Science Fair - Each year the Charleston Conservation District judges and sponsors students whose projects demonstrate excellence in the Environmental Category of the Lowcountry Hall of Science & Math Science Fair. Winning students who place first in the Junior and Senior Divisions are presented monetary awards. The Hall of Science & Math Science Fair website is under construction but will soon be finished.
Click here to see the 2017 winners in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Category.
Garden Clubs - Are you interested in "Backyard Conservation"? This is a program that is available to garden clubs and other civic organization in Charleston County. This program focuses on ways to incorporate conservation techniques in your back yard. Topics such as composting, native species planting, trees, and attracting wildlife to your yard are highlighted.
Shown above is a pollinator demonstration given by Commissioner Kathy Woolsey. Call if YOU would like to know more about pollinators!
Environmental Recognition Awards Dinner - Each year the District recognizes educators and local farmers who promote conservation in their classroom as well as putting the practices on the ground. These awards are presented at our annual Environmental Recognition Dinner. We honor the Best education awards along with the Conservationist of the Year. This year we honored our 2017 Educators, students and Conservationist of the Year for their outstanding commitment to soil and water conservation.
See Conservation Awards listed on our Award's Recognition Page.
Math & Science Fair at Eaglenest Elementary School - Charleston Soil & Water Conservation District participated in a Math & Science Fair at Eaglenest Elementary School, Thursday, March 5, 2016. The event gave parents and students the opportunity to interact with teachers and environmental agencies, such as the Conservation District, who promote conservation educational outreach. This event gave a shapshot view of the outreach programs available from outside conservation agencies. Debbie Eckard, District Manager, and Lori Bataller, NRCS District Conservationist presented a Coastal Watershed Model demonstration that allowed students and parents to interact with and visualize a coastal community watershed" and learn more about pollution and stormwater runoff. Conservation Handouts were given out as well. Charleston Soil & Water Conservation District would like to thank Eaglenext Elementary School for inviting us to participate in their Math & Science Fair!
See photos above: