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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Environment, Environmental Education
Mission: Sierra watershed education partnerships' (swep) mission is to educate students in the lake tahoe/truckee region of california and nevada to understand the environment in which they live and to empower them to take action in their community to make a positive difference. Students, together with community partners and teachers, work collaboratively to address relevant environmental and social issues.
Programs: Swep sponsors various field programs during the year with students eligible to participate in various programs based on their grade levels. These field programs include winter discovery program for grades 3 through 5 at the base of the tahoe cross country center just outside of tahoe city, operated in collaboration with the tahoe cross country ski education association (tccsea),sagehen field days for 5th graders during a multi-day, outdoor-school experience, various programs related to the sustainability of the truckee river and lake tahoe, in addition to miscellaneous smaller environmental programs.
swep promotes environmental & sustainability clubs applicable to various groups based on school levels. For kindergarten to 5th grade the green team program is utilized, with the eco-action program applicable to 6th, 7th and 8th grades and via the envirolution club for high school students 9th grade and above. These sustainability clubs utilize interactive educational projects to empower students and teachers to be good global citizens working to ensure adequate resources for a clean and healthy environment. Swep educators, along with high school student mentors, facilitate weekly club meetings with student participants to explore green service learning projects including waste reduction, reuse, recycling, gardening, composting, energy and water conservation, and pollution prevention. Through these meetings students work together to develop their knowledge, create a sense of civic responsibility, foster a school environment that emphasizes sustainability while practicing data, monitoring and other important language arts, math and science skills.
swep also sponsored site programs including the science fair, wonders of watersheds (wow)and trout in the classroom. The science fair assembly and family science night engage k through 8th grade students in hands-on scientific exploration stations that emphasize the scientific method. Wow is applicable to grades k through 5 and allows students to participate in a hands-on, watershed themed, science lesson that explores issues impacting the lake tahoe watershed, then take action through a service project focused on improving the health of our watershed. Trout in the classroom allows all k through 12th graders to participate in the conservation-oriented, environmental education program that connects students to their local watershed.