News Center

April 4, 2014 – Creek Connections will host its 19th annual Student Research Symposium at Allegheny College on Friday, April 11 in the college’s Campus Center. Community members are invited to view students’ project displays from 10 a.m. to noon.

Creek Connections is an outreach program of Allegheny College that brings hands-on, inquiry-based education about watersheds to students ranging in age from elementary to high school.

Throughout the school year, participating students retrieve water samples and conduct research on various waterways, monitoring the conditions that affect the creeks’ water quality. At the research symposium, they come together to share interactive research displays, oral presentations and hands-on workshops with their classmates, teachers and the community.

Approximately 400 students will attend the symposium, representing schools from northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York. Several environmental organizations will also present displays. Sara Grise-Stahlman from Pennsylvania Sea Grant will give a presentation on the threat to regional waterways from Asian carp.

“The symposium is a big day for the local elementary schools, daycares and preschools to come and learn from the projects on display,” said Wendy Kedzierski, Creek Connections project director. “First District Elementary second-graders, as well as the preschool classes from Meadville Cooperative Preschool and Meadville Children’s Center, are long-time visitors to the symposium.”

An earlier symposium, on April 4 at YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee in Fombell, showcased the work of students from southwestern Pennsylvania.

Creek Connections is supported by Allegheny College as well as by grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Bayer USA Foundation, Buhl Foundation, Grable Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Creek Connections also receives support through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Northwest Savings Bank, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. and Waste Management.

For more information, contact Wendy Kedzierski at 814-332-5351 or visit creekconnections.allegheny.edu.