Student Leadership

Is this you?

 You see yourself as a leader. You get motivated by making a difference. You have strong organization and communication skills. You perceive patterns and you think in systems. You have a strong dose of curiosity about how we might achieve sustainable prosperity in our region in our life time.

What do reps do?

1. You represent your school districtby researching sustainability policies in the schools and reporting results to decision makers in your community.  
2. You represent your community by researching sustainability policies in local city government, green businesses and community organizing, reporting back to your school district.   
3. You represent yourself by engaging in stewardship and sustainability projects.
4. You support your school “Green Team” in being effective including recruiting younger students to get involved.
5. Your culminating senior project aligns with the Watershed Report. You get access to amazing mentors and other professionals.
6. You collaborate with teams from other school districts to implement an annual stewardship project. For example in 2010 we are planting 1,000 natives and constructing eight demonstration rain gardens throughout the watershed.
7. You get to produce the Watershed Report. The Report is a 28-minute, annual video broadcast on sustainability trends in our Watershed. The Report will be seen by thousands of citizens through local access channels and websites. A DVD of the broadcast will be distributed to all 82 high schools in the watershed. In addition, student teams will deliver in-person presentations to decision making groups in their community such as city council, school board and chamber of commerce. 

 Who’s on my team?

 School district teams are comprised of a few exceptional high school students, ideally representing every grade level; senior, junior, sophomore and freshman.  This ensures a strong learning continuum from year to year as older students take part in mentoring younger students. Your team is joined by teams from other school districts  throughout the watershed from headwaters to estuary. This ensures a strong learning exchange across communities.

So what is the time commitment like? 

 The time commitment is intentionally flexible. In can be multiple years or just one year.  You are encouraged to take responsibility for your time in relation to your passion for learning, leading and taking action. Here are some basic considerations.

 Summer…

Watershed College: The Reporting year begins in the summer when all of the school district teams gather for three days in late June and another three days in late August. We call this time together “Watershed College.” We learn what the issues and opportunities are for sustainability in our region. We practice data gathering, policy analysis and public speaking. We improve our filmmaking skills by looking at lots of short films including a critique of our own video from the previous year. Summer is a time to plan our own stewardship projects to advance sustainability in our school districts.    

Fall…

Settle In:  As you get school started, you can be thinking about ways to develop projects with your green team or your school district that align with the research goals of the Watershed Report. We STRONGLY SUPPORT you in being smart about your school projects, integrating what you are learning through the Watershed Report into as many of your regular class assignments as you can, like essays, research papers, science projects, video productions, service learning hours. Fall is also a great time to organize our friends, clubs and classes to help with restoration events along the river. And fall is also when the seniors on our team get help in designing their culminating projects.  

Winter…

 Data Gathering: Since the Watershed Report updates trends on an annual basis, when the calendar year is over, we begin gathering data from all of our sources. We conduct web research and phone interviews and we refine our survey tools to make sure we are asking the right questions. We analyze our data and begin to prepare for shooting video.

Spring….

 Video Production: We use a few weekends and some of the days during spring break to assemble ourselves in video production crews with professional Media Mentors to create films that communicate the data we collected. Towards the end of the school year we invite a couple hundred important people to attend the annual “screening” of the Watershed Report before we release it online and as a DVD to our partners plus the 82 high schools in the watershed. Seniors present their culminating projects as companions to the Watershed Report and as models for recruiting underclassman.

Through summer and fall of the next cycle, all of the school leadership teams sponsor special community screenings to at least three local decision making groups such as city council, school board and chamber of commerce. This is where we make a huge impact and actually drive changes in sustainable behavior.

Meanwhile… the cycle of learning and reporting continues as upperclassman recruit and coach their younger peers.

What will you know and be able to do?

Essential Knowledge

I know the features and functions of my watershed.

I understand the relationship between ecological, economic and social systems.

I know the major milestones in the history of the region.

I can describe future trends based on historical patterns.

I know the major policy and planning frameworks for the Cedar River and Puget Sound.

Essential Skills

I apply systems thinking to create sustainable solutions.

I can design and implement sustainability projects with measurable results. 

I can analyze public policy and measure progress using accurate data.

I can organize and deliver compelling presentations.

I apply leadership skills so that others will be inspired, engaged and productive.

I know what it takes to be an effective member of a team.

I know what it takes to produce a professional quality video broadcast.

Essential Outcomes

My personal stewardship behavior has also affected my circle of friends and family. I am a role model and a leader.

My culminating senior project aligns with the goals of the annual Watershed Report, and inspires others to do similar work.

My school team has made at least three presentations to important decision making groups in my community such as city council, school board and chamber of commerce.

The Watershed Report reaches at least 10,000 people.

A DVD of the Report is distributed to all 82 high schools in the Watershed.

Our website becomes an excellent resource for teachers and community leaders.

With teams from other schools we have continued the tradition of an annual  stewardship action that makes a big difference.  

Are there other benefits?

Benefits to Students

Your culminating project will be built in to this work and you will have access to excellent mentors.

You will improve your leadership skills, your communication skills, your analytical skills, your creativity and your organizational ability. All of these skills will help you excel in college and succeed in life.

You will get to help design and produce a professional level video broadcast that is like an adult report card on sustainability issues in the region.

You will meet leadership teams from other schools and learn what they are doing.

You get lots of support and expert training.

This experience will look great on college applications and job resumes.

You get to make a difference.

 Benefits to Schools

Receive support for increasing the quantity and quality of culminating projects.

Receive support for developing School Green Teams.

Exchange best practices, policies, and programs with other schools. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Gain access to expert speakers, mentors and community advisors.

Explore new areas of curriculum integration around place-based project learning with authentic audiences and authentic assessment.

Gain visibility and recognition for top projects and exceptional students making news.

 Benefits to Organizational Partners

Use the annual broadcast to advance multiple outreach efforts.

Gain access to well-trained youth for internships and summer employment.

Develop mentorship skills to support top students in developing their senior culminating projects.

Cross-post success stories, model policies and best practices on partner websites.

Call or email Peter Donaldson, Project Manager, 206-236-8114, peter@peterdonaldson.net