FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2004

Contact: Heather Van Den Berg
248-601-0606
heather@crwc.org

On Thursday, October 28, 2004, nearly 125 upper elementary, middle and high school students from across Oakland and Macomb counties will gather at the Clinton River Watershed Council’s (CRWC) annual Student Congress.

Student Congress is an annual event where student representatives from schools participating in the Stream Leaders water quality monitoring program compare their findings, attend workshops, and formulate community action plans to help increase awareness and improve the health of the Clinton River. Workshop topics will include: Landscaping for Lakeshores, Designing a Rain Garden in you Community, GIS Mapping and Technology, Character Counts, Pollution Solutions, Clean Boating on our Lakes and Rivers, Kids Are True Conservation Heroes, and Success Stories from Global River Environmental Education Network. “Student Congress is a valuable step in connecting youth who are concerned about our waterways,” said Heather Van Den Berg, CRWC Education Director. “It is refreshing to see the excitement these students demonstrate as they present the results of their ‘real-word’ science and learn about new projects they can initiate in their communities.”

Earlier this month more than 2,500 area students turned the Clinton River and its tributaries into a meandering laboratory as part of the CRWC’s Stream Leaders program. Students from across the watershed investigated the Clinton River and its tributaries’ physical, chemical, and biological health. Nets, waders, microscopes, and testing kits were used to evaluate the overall health of the Clinton River. At most sites, students found overall water quality to be either good or excellent from the headwaters region downstream to the mouth of the Clinton River

The Student Congress will convene at the Macomb Intermediate School District building (44001 Garfield Rd., Clinton Township, ½ mile south of M-59), on October 28, 2004, from 8:30 AM to 1:10 PM.

General Motors has worked with GREEN, a program of the national organization Earth Force, since the 1980s to bring science to life in Michigan schools and improve water quality. GM funds help supply schools with GREEN water quality testing equipment and other resources to assess and protect their water. GM employees act as mentors for the projects. GM has also supported GREEN’s creation of resources for all educators. Major funding for the Stream Leaders program is provided by the General Motors - Warren Community Relations Committee.

The Clinton River watershed covers 760 square miles through four counties (Macomb, Oakland, Lapeer, and St. Clair). Over 1.4 million people live in the 60 communities through which the Clinton River flows before reaching Lake St. Clair. The CRWC protects, enhances, and celebrates the Clinton River, its watershed, and Lake St. Clair.