Smiling faces of the youngest sailors (preK from St. Paul’s Catholic School) in the wheelhouse of the Northern Star.
by Valerie Dillon, Memphremagog Watershed Association
This was the third year an “educational twist” to a boat trip on Lake Memphremagog was offered to the 3rd graders of Orleans County. The 2017 adventure was courtesy of several sponsors: Mr. Tony Pomerleau (who generously started the youth tour program 5 years ago), North Country Hospital, Community National Bank, Passumpsic Savings Bank, and the Rotary Club of Newport.
The Northern Star Vermont Cruises (NS), Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA), and Northwoods Stewardship Center (NWSC) partnered to bring the the program to 11 schools (336 students). This year in addition to the youth lake detective program, we also conducted an alternative all grades programming for St.Paul’s Catholic School. Their youngest sailors (preK through grade 2) were delighted at the chance and enjoyed “prequels” to the regular lake detective program while the students who previously participated, now with a wider awareness due to additional studies and projects, further explored the watershed and environmental issues.
We are happy to report that after completing the lake detective program, students know where the nearly 500 billion gallons of water in Lake Memphremagog comes from and their watershed address. Do you?Thank you to the many who volunteered: Captain Chris Johansen (NS), Sarah Damsell (NRCD & NWSC), Madeline Zukowski (NWSC), Elliot Diana (NWSC), Chris Kingston (NWSC), Tom & Amy Wagner (NWSC), Beth Barnes (NCH), Bob & Ginnie Bowman (MWA), Lindsay Cotnoir (NRCD), Kendall Lambert (MWA), Valerie Dillon (MWA), Maria Young (NWSC), Mary Pat Goulding (MWA).
* NRCD – Natural Resources Conservation Service * NCH – North Country Hospital