By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com
The Ninth Annual Waterways Adventure Student Symposium was held May 19 at Kent State University Ashtabula.
Sponsored by After School Discovery, the event is a culmination of learning activities that have been held throughout the year at participating elementary schools.
Students from Geneva, McKinsey, Grand Valley and Washington elementary schools attended the symposium. Approximately 235 students participated in the event, which started with student presentations about the various projects teachers and After School Discovery personnel led at the schools.
For example, Grand Valley students explored the flora around a stream on school property, then made posters about the species they discovered there. Washington Elementary students studied the Walnut Beach environment and presented videos and Power Point presentations about their findings and poetry written there.
After the presentations, Inlet Dance Theatre from Cleveland presented two water-themed dance movements. Four breakout sessions allowed students to explore a variety of water topics in disciplines ranging from chemistry to dance; from art to agriculture.
Support for the event was provided by Ashtabula County Soil & Water Conservation District, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland State University, Geauga County Soil and Water, Inlet Dance Theatre, Isaak Walton League of America, Kent State, Koinonia Camp & Conference Center, Ohio Department of Natural Resouces and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Grants and donations were provided by East Ashtabula Educational Assistance Corp., McNichols Family Foundation, Millennium Inorganic Chemicals/Cristal Global, Ohio Environmental Education Fund and the Robert S. Morrison Foundation.
