Educating Young People About Water (archived version)
A national youth water education needs assessment initiative
In 1991, USDA Cooperative Extension began a process of identifying how youth water education could respond to critical water quality issues. The Educating Young People About Water initiative, led by Andrews, was designed to guide federal investment in water curriculum, foster partnerships among national youth water education groups, and improve their access to water education resources.
Goals of the resources are to provide the guidelines and materials to develop a community-based, youth water education program that targets youth and links key community members in partnerships – all working toward common water education goals.
Resources focus on enabling educators to:
- Find and select water education curricula
- Work in partnership with local experts
- Develop a program strategy appropriate to a situation
- Set goals and find materials to match the program plan
- Train others to design community-based youth water education programs.
Content is based on a series of studies funded by USDA CSREES 1992 – 96. Funding provided by USDA CSREES, Grant Nos. 91-EWQ1-1-9030 and 93-EWQ1-1-904
Resources are available on the Educating Young People About Water website, http://eypaw.uwex.edu/, as well as through the PDFs and links below:
- Andrews, E. and Karen Poulin, 1992. Assessing National Water Quality Education Needs for the Nonformal Youth Audience [PDF]. University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. A report for the United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service.
- Andrews, E. & the National Review Team, 1992, and updated in 1995 with K. J. Warren. Educating Young People about Water: A guide to goals and resources with an emphasis on nonformal and school enrichment settings [PDF]. ERIC Clearinghouse, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Full text also available at http://eric.ed.gov/?q=Educating+Young+People+About+Water&ft=on&id=ED361224
- Andrews, E., J. Heimlich, E. Farrell, R. Ponzio, K. J. Warren. 1995. Educating Young People About Water – A guide to program planning and evaluation [PDF].
- Warren, K. J. & E. Andrews, 1995. Educating Young People About Water – A guide to unique program strategies [PDF]
- Andrews, E. & D. Luciani. 1995. Planning for Fun and Success! Video interviews and youth water education program examples. Directed and produced by D. Luciani, University of Wisconsin Extension. [Available via the UW ERC library.]