Below is part of an article written by Kathleen Merryman of The News Tribune and it's about the wonderful partnership of First Creek Middle School and University of Washington Tacoma. The story was published in January, to read the full story click on the link further down the page.
Middle-schoolers team up with UWT students to help First Creek
First Creek has accomplished a good deal since it ditched its old T-Street Gulch moniker and retrieved its ancient Puyallup name two years ago.
The former salmon stream running parallel to Tacoma’s Portland Avenue has spawned a vibrant crime-and-blight-fighting group: First Creek Neighbors. It has shared its new name with the new First Creek Middle School. Now it’s going scientific: It is becoming a laboratory.
On Jan. 18, 10 members of the middle school’s science club will join University of Washington Tacoma students to start testing the waters and attacking the weeds in the stream-carved forest.
They’re using the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to initiate a program involving both schools, the city of Tacoma, Washington Civilian Conservation Corps, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Metro Parks.
Joyce Dinglasan-Panlilio, UWT assistant professor of environmental chemistry, will bring 20 students to teach the young science club members how to gather water, soil and plants. UWT students will analyze them for stormwater, heavy metals and organic contamination.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/01/09/1021885/middle-schoolers-team-up-with.html------------------------------
This August, First Creek Middle School students, community members and Citizens for a Healthy Bay will be adding curb markers to Stormwater drains throughout the First Creek Watershed. The event is scheduled for August 21st, from 9 - Noon. To register contact Melissa at (253) 845-2973 or
melissab@piercecountycd.org.
