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Gulf Guardian Award Winners 2004
Youth/Education Category - 2nd Place
| Project #: | GG-04-30 | |
| Company: | Texas A&M, Corpus Christi, TX | |
| Project Name: | Gulf Coast Environmental Education Program | |
| Category: | Youth/Education | |
| Project Type: | Habitat |
The Gulf Coast Environmental Education Program is a multi-faceted project designed to educate a large number of diverse individuals on the uniqueness and fragility of coastal wetlands. The project was initiated by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and is currently funded (2002-2004) by the E.P.A. The program consists of five components that serve distinctly different populations.
- Classroom Field Experiences: Over 1000 students and 84 teachers participated in the 03-04 teacher/student classroom field experiences.
- Summer Kayak Camps: Over 116 students participated in the 2003 summer Kayak Camp program. (summer 2004 Kayak Camp is presently being planned)
- Community Events: Approximately eight tons of trash were collected at four events and more than 1,200 individuals participated in the four beach clean up events. Additionally, more than 2,000 people participated in environmental community festival events.
- Teacher Workshops: In June of 2003 TAMU-CC conducted two environmental education programs for area teachers in conjunction with the Department of Education’s Teaching Environmental Science I and II summer courses. Primary and secondary teachers received in-depth instructions, field activities, site visits, and guest speaker presentations throughout this graduate level course designed to assist them in teaching local students about their local and global environmental community. Thirty teachers participated in the 03 teacher workshops. (two additional workshops are planned for 04.)
- Winter Texan/Senior Programs: The Seniors’ or “Winter Texan” Program provides a one-day general overview of the Coastal Bend’s ecology and relevant environmental issues and concerns. The trips involve a “round the bay” bus trip with stops at representative sites. Physically able participants are invited to explore one of the local wetlands for a “hands-on” view of the working system. More than 260 individuals participated in the winter 03 and 04 Winter Texan/Senior Programs.
