Since 1994, UCR has reached tens of thousands of school-aged children through our Riverkeeper Youth Programs to promote an ethic of stewardship of our rivers, lakes and streams. Students have gained a greater appreciation of their natural surroundings and have become more knowledgeable about water resources by participating in these programs.

A timeline of UCR’s Education Programs:

1994: Promoted Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program. UCR staff were in the first group of AAS Trainers.

1996: Initiated the Riverkeeper Stream Monitoring Network, training more than 200 volunteers in 13 different subwatersheds to adopt their stream.

1998: Partnered with the Captain Planet Foundation to provide training for adopt-a-stream grants for schools in the watershed.

2000: Partnered with Elachee Nature Science Center to create the first floating classroom, the Chota Princess, for Lake Lanier reaching more than 10,000 students by the first quarter of 2005.

1999-2001: Initiated the Riverkeeper Youth Program reaching more than 4,000 students per year in Fulton County’s District 4 (Sandy Springs area)

1999-2003: Expanded the Stream Monitoring Network in 8 schools throughout the metro-Atlanta area reaching more than 500 students per year.

2000-2004: Implemented the REI River Stewardship Kit Program in 20 schools throughout the watershed.

2003-04: Implemented the Watershed Patch Project in 25 headwater schools to educate students on water stewardship.

2004: Co-Produced Waters to the Sea—The Chattahoochee River with Hamline University and Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center to take thousands of students on a virtual journey down the Chattahoochee River to learn about natural history, water quality, water cycle, watersheds and river features.

2005: Implemented Waters to the Sea program through teacher workshops and presentations to schools throughout the Chattahoochee River Basin.

For more information, contact Mary Harrison at 404-352-9828 ext 24 or Bill Crawford at 404-352-9828 ext 14.