Creek Connections to Showcase Waterway Research by Local Students

April 25, 2016 – Creek Connections will host its 21st annual Student Research Symposium at Allegheny College on Friday, April 29 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 middle school to high school.

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

Approximately 475 students will attend the symposium, representing schools from northwestern Pennsylvania, southwestern New York and eastern Ohio. Keynote speaker David Boughton of Pennsylvania Sea Grant will talk about Lake Erie shipwrecks. Several environmental organizations will also present displays.

“We have about 28 environmental and community groups in attendance,” said Wendy Kedzierski, project director for Creek Connections. “It’s a great opportunity for the students to interact with professionals and explore different careers.”

Among the schools planning to participate are Clymer Central High School in New York, Bristol High School in Ohio and a number of schools in Pennsylvania: Bradford Area High School, Cochranton High School, Conneaut Area Senior High, Conneaut Lake Middle School, Crawford Central Elementary Gifted, East Elementary School, Fort LeBoeuf Middle and High Schools, Grove City Intermediate School, Hermitage School District Green Team, Lakeview Middle School, Maplewood High School, Northwestern High School, Saegertown High School, State College Area High School, Union City High School and Youngsville High School.

An earlier symposium, on April 8 at YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee in Fombell, showcased the work of students from southwestern Pennsylvania.

During the past year, Creek Connections has been supported by Allegheny College and individual donors as well as by grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, PPG Industries Foundation, Buhl Foundation and Grable Foundation. Creek Connections also received support during the past year from Palmiero Toyota and through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program from Fluidraulics Inc. and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

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