MEA-Retired member Dave Chapman, an award-winning former science teacher from Okemos, is leading an extensive new professional development program to enable mid-Michigan teachers to engage students in learning about watersheds, their importance, and how to protect them.

The grant-funded project includes numerous environmental partners and features a number of benefits for the 24 teachers who sign up, including a $500 stipend, $200 budget for equipment and materials, a free field trip for students, extensive teaching activities, a research excursion on Lake Michigan, and free SCECHs.

Participants are expected to attend 70 hours of in-service training between April 2022 and May 2023—much of it during four or five days in summer 2022, none during the school day, and half in outdoor field experiences. All but one of the sessions will be in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties.

In addition, teachers who participate should plan to lead students in instruction related to the training and engage students in a research or service project related to the watershed.

Teams of two teachers from a building are encouraged to apply. For more information or to sign up, contact Chapman at chapmad@comcast.net.