Radnor Middle Schoolers Host Watershed Exhibit At PA Coast Day

WAYNE, PA – Six students from Radnor Middle School made waves at a watershed-focused event in Philadelphia recently, as they wowed organizers with their exhibit on what makes a healthy watershed.

Students Eleanor Adams, Bryn Carrigan, Guinevere Dunn, Cackie Martin, Miya Slaim, and Paige Yurchak represented the school and the seventh-grade integrated program, Watershed, at the 16th Annual Pennsylvania Coast Day in Philadelphia on Sept. 9, according to the Radnor Township School District.

The six students ran their own exhibit that informed attendees of the event about what makes a healthy watershed, the district said.

"These students impressed festival organizers," Jon Savitch, Watershed teacher, told the district in an email. "Visitors could not believe they had only been in school for four days."

The event is hosted by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. It is designed to attract people to the Delaware River to see what a resource it has become and explore it as a source of recreation and commerce, according to the district. The event featured hands-on exhibits and displays, food, and face painting, the district said.

The Watershed students were the only school group represented at the festival, according to the district.

Watershed is an Integrated Learning Program for seventh graders at RMS that debuted 30 years ago with Mark Springer and Ed Silcox its creators.

The program gives students an alternative to the traditional seventh-grade curriculum, the district said.

Skills and concepts in the Watershed program are integrated around the comprehensive study of a local watershed through a combination of classroom activities and site visits.

A heterogeneous mix of 20 boys and 20 girls are admitted each year through a lottery process, according to the district.

Students are encouraged to gather, retain, interrelate, apply and communicate first hand information about watersheds with special emphasis on what it means to live sustainably in the 21st century, the district said.

Great job to these budding environmental stewards. You make the Radnor School District community proud!

Pictured above are some of the Watershed program students at their exhibit on Sept. 9

Image via Radnor Township School District