K-12 Education Programs

Connect your K-12 classroom with our Environment Program, just like Suffolk Public Schools and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.

Looking for a great summer program? Join our day-long, hands-on outdoor experience for community organizations including Nansemond River Garden Club, ForKids, and Tidewater Governor’s Academy.

Nansemond Watershed Initiative: Connecting the Classroom with the environment

NRPA’s Signature K-12 Environmental Education Program

2020:   10,000 students from Suffolk Public Schools and Nansemond Suffolk Academy have participated in the NWI program.

Educating the next generation is an important tenet of NRPA’s strategy to help restore and protect the waterways.  In 2012, NRPA developed and launched the Nansemond Watershed Initiative: Connecting the Classroom With the Environment (NWI) program.  The NWI program is comprised of interactive hands in classroom and out door classroom experiences. 

In classroom experiences: NRPA teaches the NWI curriculum that is aligned with the VA SOLs and brings to the classroom  scientific instruments, river water, river critters and oysters.  Students learn about Suffolk’s waterways, marine life and how the use the water quality scientific equipment -refractometer, secchi disk, dissolved oxygen chemistry, and pH analysis.

Outdoor classroom experiences include:

1. Environmental boat trip along Chucktauck Creek and Nansemond River with a hands on component with marine life.

2. Marshfield Study which includes 4-8 interactive stations: seine net, water quality testing, walk in the woods, GIS, stormwater runoff, marine life.

2012: Phase 1 was implemented at the middle school level where all Suffolk School 7th grade students participate.
2017: Phase 2 was expanded to the high school level.
2021: NRPA will expand the program to the 3rd grade students – Watershed Explorers – WE Can Make a Difference program.

NRPA also provides summer environmental hands-on programs for kindergarten through 6th grade students from ForKids, Boys & Girls Club and the Nansemond River Garden Club EcoCamp.

THE NANSEMOND RIVER PRESERVATION NWI PROGRAM

Education Program Directors — Karla Smith, Elizabeth Taraski, John Wass High
School Student Program Manager — Cindi Pinell
NWI Instructors — Cindi Pinell, Mike Reiss, Karla Smith, Elizabeth Taraski
Marshfield Study Volunteers — Byron Carmean, Debbie Farrell, Claudia Lee, Leora Porter, Stella Payne, Cathy Roberts, Fran Jones, Marie Roosendaal, Suffolk Parks & Recreation, Suffolk Public Works Department

Provides students with a hands-on classroom and outdoor experience. NRPA introduced the program in September 2013 and as December 2019, 8,000 K-12 grade students have completed the program.

The three-module program takes a hands-on approach to education, allows students to execute authentic science, is based on scientifically sound strategies, and meets multiple Virginia Standards of Learning.

Students take from this program not only comprehensive knowledge about bay ecology, oyster biology and water quality, but they also gain a connection to Suffolk waters and the Chesapeake Bay.  

The students conduct a series of water quality tests using scientific instruments. An important component of the program are the outdoor experiences–environmental boating exercise  and marsh field studies

Click here for our Bird field guide with a super cool crossword puzzle included :)

How can I help?

There are so many ways you can volunteer with NRPA. Fill out the quick form below and let’s get started. Check out What you Can Do.