Are you 55 years or older, live in a community along the Delaware River in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, and want to become involved in educating youth in protecting our watershed resources and the natural world?

If so, the Delaware River SPLASH Boat Senior Environment Corps wants you.

The crew at the SPLASH Boat Floating Classroom, along with Nature Abounds, a national non-profit and organizer of the SEC program, are working together to engage senior volunteers in teaching youth about the Delaware River and why it needs to be protected. SPLASH (Student Participation in Learning Aquatic Science and History) teaches environmental science and history in a unique location – aboard a paddlewheel steamboat on the Delaware River.

The crew of the vessel works with grades 3 and higher from May through October. Students on board learn about watersheds, history of the Delaware River, river chemistry, shad migration and macroinvertebrates (river insects).

For anyone interested in volunteering with the SPLASH Boat SEC, personal training is provided as are lesson plans. New volunteers will work with the current crew members of the SPLASH Boat in getting up to speed how the program is delivered and how youth are engaged.

“Seniors have always played a very important role with the Steamboat Floating Classroom. Its fun to share what you know with young people, in a very unique classroom on a beautiful spot on the Delaware” notes Eric Clark, director.

“We’re thrilled to be working with SPLASH Boat and engaging senior volunteers in helping youth learn about the Delaware River and protecting natural resources,” said Nature Abounds President, Melinda Hughes-Wert.  “Senior volunteers are great mentors for the next generation of stewards.”

“Since 1997, Senior Environment Corps members have monitored water quality, helped to inventory wildlife, marked abandoned oil wells and educated the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Hughes-Wert.  “SEC volunteers in Pennsylvania alone have contributed over 2,000,000 hours to the Commonwealth’s environment, and that contribution is estimated to be valued at over $3,000,000 a year. In 2013, the SEC program won a Western Pennsylvania Environmental Award.”

For more information, visit the Delaware River SPLASH Boat Senior Environment Corps website or contact Melinda Hughes-Wert of Nature Abounds at either 814-765-1453 or send email to: sec@natureabounds.org. 

8/11/2014