The Green Guardian Award is an honor bestowed every April on the Earth Fair stage to community members who are taking action to improve, protect, or restore our environment. Earth Fair recognizes and celebrates these individuals, groups, businesses and schools who are the real “Green Guardians” of our planet. Winners are recognized during a ceremony, receive a custom award, and a financial gift.
We wanted to shine the spotlight on a special nominee in the “School/Classroom” category, so we nominated the St. Clair County Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) Middle School Innovation Academy. The Middle School Innovation Academy, led by the Supervisor of Innovation and Design Thinking, Rachel Verschaeve, is a cohort of twenty-five 7th graders from St. Clair County school districts that links them with community partners to engage in project-based learning, critical thinking, and team building.
In fall 2023, MSIA teamed up with our Education Manager, Melissa Kivel, to explore the challenge of“How to Protect Cuttle Creek”. Cuttle Creek is a tributary to the St. Clair River in Marysville situated along a golf course. Melissa led students on 2 field trips to Cuttle Creek to assess its conditions, record observations, and collect data. Students also used technology to document native and invasive plant and animal species along the creek. The students met once a week over a semester to perform their research.At the end of the semester, student teams presented 6 proposals to Marysville City officials. Their proposals looked at practical solutions and conservation methods for the creek’s high phosphate levels, invasive species, and pollution sources.
Rachel shared, “It seems these repeated positive experiences are resonating with students. One parent thanked me for the opportunity for his daughter to be a part of “something bigger than herself and her school”. I am hoping this evolves into an opportunity for more and more students in the county.”
Innovation Academy is the only program of its kind in St. Clair County! Benefits are that students solve authentic environmental problems, perform water quality tests that contribute to environmental monitoring, and gain STEM career exposure. The student’s successful Cuttle Creek project was featured in multiple media articles.
Congratulations St. Clair County RESA, Middle School Innovation Academy, Rachel Verschaeve, and 7thgrade students on receiving the Earth Fair Green Guardian School award! Their award will support more students to tackle environmental issues and to conduct and share their environmental action projects.
Earth Fair Green Guardian Award: https://earthdayfair.com/green-guardian-award/
The Times Herald Cuttle Creek Student Projects: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/education/2024/01/13/middle-school-innovation-academy-cuttle-creek-presentations/72201282007/
Sheri lives with her husband and two daughters and her rescued, adopted pets in Port Huron. She loves taking her family on adventures to explore new trails for hiking and biking whenever she can.