Written by: Betsy Myshrall, Co-Leader Troop #852
Some county residents have probably never heard of the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) or know what purpose they serve. You can bet a troop of second grade Brownies were not aware of this helpful organization, that is, until the fall of the 2013-14 school year. It was then that our troop embarked on an official Girl Scout environmental journey entitled “WOW! Wonders of Water” and were given the opportunity to work with Geauga SWCD.
Colleen Sharp and Gail Prunty from Geauga SWCD were instrumental in helping us on our water journey. First, Colleen invited our troop to Whitesburg Park to help her collect data for one of their stream quality monitoring projects. This was a profound hands-on science experience and our results were submitted to the state. It was an amazing way for the girls to make the connection between how pollution can affect even the tiniest of creatures: If their well-being is compromised, it may signal a greater problem.
Second, Gail was helpful and informative about the library of resources that are available for loan by county residents. She provided many educational materials, such as the Enviroscape. This landform model is an effective tool and visual aid for demonstrating how a watershed works. Using water, powder dyes, and gravity, we were able to show the damage that can be caused by humans from pesticides, herbicides, and construction. Consequently our troop has a better understanding of watersheds, how they function, and the importance of preserving them.
When our troop decided to sell cookies for the first time this year, the leaders decided to teach the girls about giving back to the community. The troop came up with a goal: To give half of the total monies earned from our cookie sales to the District. We were proud to present them with a check for $250.00 to help ensure these resources continue to be available to others. Thank you Geauga SWCD!
