{"id":53249,"date":"2022-09-22T07:28:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T11:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=53249"},"modified":"2022-09-22T07:28:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T11:28:06","slug":"riverlink-offers-free-environmental-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/lifestyle\/riverlink-offers-free-environmental-education\/","title":{"rendered":"RiverLink Offers Free Environmental Education"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Cane Creek Sampling. Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School.<\/p><\/div>\n

Local nonprofit RiverLink is working to connect youth with the natural splendor of WNC and grow their appreciation and understanding of our environment. Its RiverRATS Program, which stands for River Recreation and Appreciation Through Science, provides free environmental education activities for schools and community groups throughout the French Broad River watershed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a teacher, I appreciate the partnership with RiverLink and all of the amazing folks there in helping me to offer a dynamic curriculum in river studies,\u201d says Rainbow Community School 5th-grade teacher Emmaly Rogalski. \u201cThey were so helpful in not only educating the students but offering resources to me to help deepen my understanding and develop an extended curriculum based on their lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lessons focus on local streams and rivers, how they function and how students can make an impact to protect clean water. RiverRATS participants might investigate erosion and flooding with an interactive stream table; search for bugs, fish, and salamanders in the stream; test water chemistry or play educational games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s inspiring to see kids explore these topics and realize the role they play in the watershed,\u201d says RiverLink education and outreach manager Justin Young. \u201cSome students are hesitant to get in the water at first, but watching them build their confidence and engage in these natural spaces is really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

RiverLink currently engages 3,000 students with this program annually and is planning to expand over the next few years. Planned expansions will focus on connecting with more students of color, low-income students and other groups that may not have reliable access to outdoor opportunities. \u201cThe river belongs to all of us and we want to ensure that everyone has the chance to explore its waters and feel a sense of belonging on its banks,\u201d says Young.<\/p>\n

RiverLink\u2019s fall programming season begins in September. Teachers can request a free lesson at RiverLink.org\/RiverRATS<\/a>. For more information, email education@riverlink.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Riverlink’s RiverRATS Program, which stands for River Recreation and Appreciation Through Science, provides free environmental education activities for schools and community groups throughout the French Broad River watershed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":53251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[114,57,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-lifestyle","category-outdoors"],"yoast_head":"\nRiverLink Offers Free Environmental Education - The Laurel of Asheville<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Riverlink's RiverRATS Program, which stands for River Recreation and Appreciation Through Science, provides free environmental education activities for schools and community groups throughout the French Broad River watershed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/lifestyle\/riverlink-offers-free-environmental-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"RiverLink Offers Free Environmental Education - 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