Good News

Schoharie River Center Wins National Award -- Again!

Posted on: Tuesday, February 8, 2011

An innovative outdoors program that engages and inspires at-risk youth has earned the Schoharie River Center a prestigious Environmental Excellence Award and $10,000 from SeaWorld, for the second time. Since 1993, these awards have honored outstanding efforts of students and teachers across the country who are working at the grassroots level to protect and preserve the environment.

The Schoharie River Center (www.schoharierivercenter.org.) was recognized for its Environmental Study Team (EST) Program aimed specifically at at-risk youth, age 13-18, in the city of Schenectady. EST members learn how to conduct chemical tests to determine water quality, identify macroinvertebrates found in the waters, prepare written scientific reports of their findings, learn photography and videography skills, prepare slide shows, as well as make presentations to the public.  They also go hiking, swimming, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing and make maple syrup.

The EST program was started in 2002 in the rural Duanesburg, Schalmont, Schoharie and Amsterdam school districts. In 2007, it won its first national Environmental Excellence Award, and in 2009, expanded to reach urban youth in Schenectady. Many of those participating have been referred by the Schenectady County Probation Department, the Department of Social Services, schools, or the court system. In 2010, EST was awarded a two-year, $40,000 grant from The Schenectady Foundation.

“Our Schenectady EST program is unique in that it actively engages interested middle and high school age youth from Schenectady in ongoing environmental research centered in their own community,” said John McKeeby, EST program director. “Urban youth are involved in studying, protecting and improving the natural environment locally, and in the process they are developing skills and values that will help them to become the environmental leaders of the future.”

Pictured are EST members from Schenectady and Duanesburg, along with two EST graduates (mentors now attending college) and program director John McKeeby. The photo was taken by Gary Allen, probation officer for Schenectady County.

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