&EPA TIMES NEWS FOR AND ABOUT EPA EMPLOYEES PARTNERS IN EDUCATION: A Special Report Over 100 EPAers Lead Backus Jr. High Environment Day On April 19, volunteers drawn from virtually every major office at EPA headquarters capped six months of environmental education activities at Washington's Backus Junior High with a day-long extravaganza of environmental events involving students, faculty, and members of the school's PTA. The event, called Environment Day, was all business, but still gave something of a festive air to Backus, as some 300 students and teachers and more than 100 EPA volunteers took part in the day's numerous, environmentally-centered activities. The school's large "Rec Room" was converted for the occasion into an exhibition hall for displays and demonstrations of various environmental endeavors conducted by EPA offices. Students crowded around OSWER's hands-on demonstration of moonsuits used at hazardous waste dumps as Sella Burchette of EPA Region 2 showed students how to don and use the gear. Farther into the room, the D.C. Public Works Department was demonstrating, through a working model, the innermost operations of the Blue Plains sewage treatment plant, while in the next booth, OW's Office of Municipal Pollution Control was screening an animated film about groundwater protection and surface water contamination. Nearby, Charlene Shaw and Bob Cantilli from the Office of Drinking Water described the importance of safe drinking water from their exhibit, "On Tap for the Future." The Washington Information Center (WIC) presented computer demonstrations that attracted crowds of students touring the exhibit hall. In all, eight environmental exhibits and demonstrations were taking place. They began operating at the start of the school day and continued until after 2:00. The high decibel activity in the exhibit hall was one of five continuously operating education and information projects going that day at Backus, staffed by EPA volunteers. Elsewhere in the school, while one group of students was touring the exhibit hall, others were taking part in a realistically simulated town meeting that challenged the students to debate and vote on local development vs. environmental protection; other students played "Enviro Bingo," a new, ingeniously crafted Q&A game dealing with environmental issues and environmental careers; and other students were participating in computer and science demonstrations conducted by EPA technicians and specialists. During the course of the day, every Backus student took part in each EPA project. Student participation was encouraged by prizes, cash awards, and natural competitiveness. Organizers of Environment Day and the driving force behind the two-year Partners in Education project at Backus are a threesome composed of William Lea, a science teacher at Backus, Carolyn Scott of OHRM, and David Grim of Civil Rights. Providing skills in administration and management that proved vital to the success of Environment Day was Mary Blakeslee, Office of Water. Coming toward the end of the school year, festive Environment Day represented the culmination of a rather intensive six months of EPA participation in both scholastic and non-scholastic programs at the junior high. The Agency's work at Backus, as with similar programs conducted by regions, is scheduled to run for two years, after which, school officials and EPA representatives will review the program's effectiveness and map plans for the future. According to Backus science teacher, William Lea, the school's need for enhanced scientific and environmental curricula will not end in one or two years. Nor will the benefits of the career guidance provided by EPA volunteers. "Every year, we graduate one class (into high school), and we gain a new class. The new students can benefit from what EPA is doing just as much as our present student body has benefited," Lea said. "I'd like to see the work continue as long as the need exists." During the school year, EPA volunteers have engaged in the following: Schoolwide Recycling Project February 1, 1989, a team of Agency volunteers, working with a local contractor, joined with Backus faculty and students to launch a project for recycling white waste paper. Experience with the pilot project has generated student interest in expanding recycling activity into their homes, reports Kathe Simpson, a member of the EPA team. Next year, she expects the school will add aluminum cans to its collection efforts, using the money generated for a scholarship program. The recycling team was among the Agency exhibitors on Environment Day. Participants included: Sarah Carney, Paul Kaldjian, Lauris Davies, and Craig Hook. EPA Scientists Judge 63 School Projects Drs. Rufus* Morrison and Bill Hirzy, EPA scientists and members of NFFE Local 2050, served as judges of 63 science projects developed by Backus students during the school year. Winners of first, second and third prizes, and six honorable mentions were announced during ceremonies taking place at the conclusion of Environment Day. According to Charlie Garlow, coordinator of union activities for the Two students of Backus Jr. High hear Bob Cantilli and Charlene Shaw (right), Office of Drinking Water, discuss the Agency's drinking water issues. dmhuixgw'Teb on TAP FOR ^ME FUTURE ------- Speakers Bureau Plays Dual Role During the school year, approximately 20 members of the EPA Speakers Bureau conducted classes at Backus on subjects almost as far-ranging as EPA itself. Specialists in forestry, computers, toxic waste, air pollution, and other fields addressed often as many as three classes a day in their visits to the school, a member of the Speakers Bureau reports. According to a professional educator, teachers welcome the opportunity to enrich regular classroom training with fresh input from people actually working in a given field. "It adds the essential element of reality to a classroom when you have people there who are using the skills we teach. You make the leap from classroom to the real world in one easy step. It's invaluable." David Grim, an Agency coordinator with Backus, observed that EPA participants in the school project had the opportunity to be role models as well as instructors in their specialties. "That's a challenge to our staff at the same time it is an important byproduct of the hard work they've put into this project," Grim said. Toastmasters Promote Leadership Since October 1988, EPA's Toastmaster Club 2775 has sponsored two 8-week programs at Backus to develop the speaking and leadership skills of young people. In each of the two Youth Leadership programs, 15 students, led by Toastmasters representatives, met one day a week for two class periods. Doris Gillispie of Human Resources Development, Debra Thomas, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, and Herman Baucom, Office of Water, coordinated the Backus Toastmasters project. They describe the leadership program as a system by which "students learn through 'hands on' training how to organize and present a speech, how to conduct group discussions, how to offer constructive criticism, and how to develop better listening skills." The first group to complete its 8-week program elected to hold its "graduation" exercise at EPA headquarters, where Charlie Grizzle, AA for Administration and Resources Management, presented certificates of completion. The second group is to demonstrate its skills before . \ parents and student body on Backus' graduation day this spring. Debra Thomas reports the programs were highly praised by school administration, faculty, and students. William Lea, Backus' coordinator of the EPA project, has requested the Toastmasters sponsor a third Youth Leadership program at the school. Other ongoing projects at Backus this year include: • Selection of three Backus teachers and two students for summer internships at EPA. • A "mentor shadowing" experience for 10 students who observed agency managers in action. • Frequent visits to the school by the EPA chorus and steps toward creating a Backus chorus. • Participation by 30 students in the Agency's observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday. Students posed for group pictures with the guest speaker, the Honorable Shirley Chisholm. (left to right) Clarice Gaylord, Deputy Director, OHRM, Ed Hartley, Director, OIRM, and Bill Hirzy, OPTS, hand out certificates of achievement to Backus students. headquarters Partners in Education project, approximately one-third of the projects were scientific experiments and two-thirds were explanations of scientific principles or phenomena. "Quality of the the top projects was quite high," Garlow said. "So the judges had a really tough time picking the winning entries. We feel that, in itself, is indicative of this program's successful start." Wendy Bailey, WIC, and Earnie Watkins, OW, (standing) with Backus students for a "hands-on" computer session. Sella Burchette (L.) OSWER, Region 2, demonstrates "Moon Suits" to students. These are protective gear used to avoid contact with a toxic material when cleaning up a hazardous waste site. ------- An Agency Action, A National Need fct'ities of EPA volunteers at Backus are Mesult of a commitment by former BKiinistrator Lee Thomas to extend the Agency's resources to enhance math and science education. Thomas made the commitment in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. The action was initiated in light of projections of a continuing national shortfall of young people trained in scientific and technical fields. Among minorities and young women, the lack of scientific and technical training is particularly acute. President Reagan's Office of Private Sector Initiatives launched the Partners in Education program under which private industry and government agencies would work with schools to reduce the educational gap. Through the earlier Adopt-a-School program, the President's Environmental Youth Awards, and a number of local initiatives, EPA's staff has been an active educational factor for a number of years. The more recent Partners in Education Clarence Featherson, (left) OECM (a former Backus student), and Bruce Barclay, OPPE, speak to students at awards assembly. NVIRONMENT DM APRIL 19 An environmental poster for Backus designed by Dave Hoadley, OARM. program, exemplified in the Backus operation, seeks to expand and organize volunteer educational and career guidance work into areas of greatest national and social need. For more information about the Backus program contact Carolyn Scott, FTS 382-3305 or David Grim, FTS 382-4588. Additional Headquarters Activities EPA in cooperation with Naissance, Inc., has planned a June 2nd program for young people from the Bryan and Payne Elementary Schools in Southeast Washington, D.C. Approximately 30 students ages 10-11, and their teachers will be given a presentation on groundwater, using a specially prepared video and accompanying study guide produced by the Water Pollution Control Federation under an EPA grant. The students will also be told about the President's Environmental Youth Awards Program and how they may enter it. In addition, a representative of the EPA Earth Day 1990 committee will suggest ways they may help with that project. Naissance, Inc., a professional women's group, is dedicated to enhancing the educational foundation, experiences, and potential of black youth by introducing them to social, cultural, and historic events. Margie A. Wilson, Small Business Officer in EPA's OSDBU, is a member of Naissance. Douglas Cooper of the Administrator's Staff will host the event. EPA at Boy Scout Jamboree Some 40 Agency staffers will be going to camp this summer at the quadrennial Boy Scout Jamboree, to be held from August 2-8 in Ft. A.P. Hill, Virginia. Their task will be to promote conservation methods and environmental ethics among the 30,000 attendees. Several headquarters offices, including Research and Development and Community and Intergovernmental Relations, plus Region 8 and 9, as well as some of our labs will be donating time and personnel. The Jamboree attracts Scouts from all over the world to work on their merit badges, sharpen skills, make friends and get some exposure to new ideas. EPA displays will be stationed on the "Conservation Trail," always one of the more popular activities. The 1989 EPA national Scout Jamboree executive committee chair is Vernon Laurie. The co-chairs are Allan Batterman, Gordon Evans, William Lee Jennings, Bruce Gay, Richard Lapan and Melba Meador; executive secretary is Marlene Lemro. How EPA Benefits from Partners in Education The need for EPA's Partners-in-Education program and the benefits to be derived from it are reflected in this issue of the EPA Times. Two recent studies to determine national educational needs, conducted independently by a congressional task force and by the U.S. Department of Labor (Workforce 2000), identified a national shortfall in numbers of science and engineering graduates. Supply does not meet demand, the studies found, nor is the situation likely to improve in the future without direct intervention. In today's hi-tech society, the shortfall of scientists and engineers in this country does not bode well for the nation's future or its competitive position with trading partners in Europe and the Pacific. "...by the year 2010, we could suffer a shortfall of as many as 560,000 science and engineering professionals," according to the congressional study. The report went on to say: "The percentage of young Americans preparing for careers in science and engineering has been declining steadily...The educational pipeline—from pre-kindergarten through the Ph.D.—is failing to produce the scientifically literate and mathematically capable workers needed to meet future demand." Additionally, recruiting and employment complications face EPA and other scientifically oriented federal agencies. Executive Order 11478 says, in essence, that agencies should hire and promote minorities and women in all job levels in proportion to their numbers in the civilian workforce. However, recruiters and civil rights specialists have determined that minorities and women are not proportionally represented in the science and engineering educational pipeline, and thus are underrepresented in those professions. Accordingly, intervention programs such as the Agency's partnership with Backus Junior High School and the regional initiatives reported in this issue are designed to stimulate academic interest in study areas that may lead to the hi-tech careers available at EPA. The short term benefit of the EPA-Backus partnership and similar programs is apparent to the students, teachers, and Agency staff involved. Student awareness of, and interest in, environmental issues has been advanced significantly, with added carryover in the school communities. There are other benefits of perhaps greater significance. To help address problems in the public education system, the President has encouraged volunteer groups such as the National Association of Partners in Education. The honorary chair of this group is Mrs. George Bush. EPA activities such as those at Backus and similar school volunteer programs by regional offices are allied with Partners in Education. '""Hi ShOPP RESPONSIBILITY ------- Regions Set The Pace in Activities with Schools Volunteers from EPA regional headquarters, field offices, and labs have been early and active participants in Agency efforts to assist public schools in environmental education and to inform students about career opportunities in the environmental field. One regional office has been working with schools in its area for 17 years. The following is condensed from recent reports coming to the Times. Region 1. Last year, the Office of Public Affairs in EPA's New England region launched an adopt-a-school program with the Boston Public School system for students K-9. During the school year, EPA staff met with students to review environmental issues involving wetlands, forests, smog, the ozone layer, air toxics, Boston Harbor cleanup, groundwater protection, and threats to the environment. Agency slideshows and videotapes were pressed into service at every opportunity. The regional office reports enthusiastic participation in the program by technical and scientific staff, and hopes to expand the program beyond the Greater Boston area in the coming school year. The region has a long history of educational activity. Seventeen years ago, the office introduced the Elementary Education Ecology Poem and Poster Program (EEEPPP) for grades K-6. The program involves every public school in the region that chooses to participate. Teachers focus part of the curriculum on environmental topics and encourage students to create class or individual projects or submit poems. Entries are judged in the regional office, and award winners are recognized at each state capital. Region 1, like most, also participates in the highly-regarded President's Environmental Youth Awards program. Region 2. Under a May 1988 agreement with Far Rockaway High School in Queens, N.Y., volunteers from the regional office are working to enrich the school's academic program and expose students to a variety of career options, role models, and environmental issues. Each division office of the region has a representative on the "Join-a-School" committee which works with the school. EPA provides classroom speakers on environmental topics, assists the school's 9th grade pre-engineering students, coordinates tours of EPA facilities, including the Edison lab, and supports activities of the school's environmental awareness club. Activities have ranged from demonstrating water purification methodology to conducting simulated job interviews. As part of Region 2 )oin-A-School Program, students from Far Rockaway High School observe a demonstration by Kim Peaver at EPA's biology lab, Edison, New Jersey. The school principal is quite impressed by the volunteers' involvement at Far Rockaway, according to Dianna Sexton, project manager. Dianna is planning to expand the Join-a-School program in the next school year. Region 3. The region is completing its third year of support for adopted school, Abraham Lincoln High School, in Philadelphia. Lincoln is a magnet school for environmental science. This past year, in addition to providing speakers, Region 3 helped the school obtain lab equipment. EPA volunteers and students visited nearby Pennypack Creek for a demonstration of water sampling techniques and enforcement procedures. The school program, and EPA's role in it have been editorially acclaimed by a Philadelphia paper. In other educational activity, the Black Employment Program Advisory Council (BEPAC) and the Hispanic Employment Program Advisory Council (HEPAC) in Region 3 have also adopted schools. BEPAC adopted the Andrew Hamilton Elementary School in West Philadelphia. Hamilton students attended the region's Black History Month and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday celebration. Last month, Region 3 volunteers participated in Hamilton's National Science and Technical Fair. Future projects include a tour to a local sewage treatment plant, and discussions of career opportunities in science and engineering by Agency specialists. HEPAC recently adopted Olney High School in North Philadelphia. The program there began with a schoolwide essay contest about recycling. Other planned activities include: a student volunteer program and summer work study in Region 3; providing EPA staff as speakers and tutors; instituting a mentor program; and setting up a sister council at the school. Region 3's Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) kicked off a pilot high school co-op program for seniors interested in environmental technology careers. also sponsored its second annual poej and poster contest in the Philadelphia school district. More than 150 schools participated in the contest in 1988. Bonnie Smith, Director of the region's Center for Environmental Learning, works with government, education, and industry groups to promote environmental education throughout the region. She is working with state educators on environmental curricula and has set up a meeting between state environmental agencies and educators in the region to discuss issues involving environmental education. Region 5. This is the fifth year of the region's service at its adopted school, Washington High School on Chicago's southwest side. In a typical school year, as many as 25 to 30 EPA volunteers take part in science fair support, tutoring, and teaching workshops at the school. One member of the EPA team helped coach a Washington student to reach a winning spot at the Illinois State Science Fair. Other EPAers help out in science and English classes; another teaches a popular seminar on rock climbing. There are monetary results as well, year, proceeds from the region's a I u can recycling program, which amountecno $500, went to Washington's scholarship fund. This year's contribution is expected to be even larger, as the region steps up recycling efforts. Earlier this year, much to the delight of students and teachers, the Soviet Union's minister of environment, Feodor T. Morgun, who was touring Region 5 environmental activities, asked to be taken to a high school in the area and paid a surprise visit to the adopted school. According to Margaret McCue, chief of the region's public information and media section, the minister must have been impressed by his visit. The Soviet delegation missed their flight out of Chicago. Washington High School has recently given Region 5 a plaque of appreciation for its participation in the adopt-a-school program. Other projects in planning stage At present, staff at other EPA regions and laboratories are discussing how to begin a partnership with local public schools in the '89-'90 school year. The Cincinnati Lab has committed to work with a science magnet high school, and negotiations are underway in Regions and 10 to develop partnerships. Place your order now for 1989 CFR Title 40. For further information call Patricia Blacknall (PM-215) Printing Management, 382-2130. ------- |