The “Classrooms to Watersheds” project, supported by a Lake Champlain Basin Program grant, engaged Plattsburgh City School District students in hands-on watershed science. Through activities like stream monitoring, microplastic investigations, and using pollution models, high school students became “Watershed Ambassadors,” teaching younger grades about local environmental issues.
Tori DesRocher, an AP Environmental Science student, reflected on her participation, sharing how the program deepened her understanding of Lake Champlain’s ecological health. Activities included collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in the Saranac River, which revealed low pollution levels, and using the EnviroScape Model to visualize the impact of different pollution sources.
Students taught fourth graders about watershed stewardship through practical examples and solutions, such as using reusable containers and recycling. They also conducted fish dissections to explore plastic pollution, which motivated them to take action. Overall, the program enhanced students’ awareness of their environment and encouraged community engagement to protect Lake Champlain.
