CSDA 2019 AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC OUTREACH & ADVOCACY – SMALL DISTRICT
Stege Sanitary District and KIDS for the BAY Inspire Students to Become Environmentally Aware By Rex Delizo, P.E., District Manager/Engineer, Stege Sanitary District
and local governmental agencies, foundations, and local donors, KIDS for the BAY, teaches students to be good stewards of their environment. Hands-on science and nature field trips are a big part of their mission to inspire young students to become environmentally aware. Whether students are getting their hands dirty with a striped bass, using satellite maps to create their own estuary model, or cleaning up trash from the beach, students learn that they share responsibility for their environment and that everyone has a right to a clean and healthy watershed. Students learn how their school neighborhood, local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean are all interconnected and that they have a duty to help protect the health of San Francisco Bay. In addition to empowering students to be good stewards of their watershed, KIDS for the BAY provides professional training and resources to teachers, so they can continue to lead future Students learn to keep FOG out of drains. classes in learning the importance of environmental stewardship. The Stege Sanitary District has a long history of public n 2009, District Board Member Al Miller attended outreach. In addition to printing a newsletter, maintaining a an El Cerrito City Council meeting where Mandi website, and participating in civic events, directors and staff Billinge, Executive Director and Founder of KIDS often speak to local organizations about what the district does for the BAY, gave a presentation of her program, which and how it is important to their daily lives. So, when Director the City of El Cerrito sponsors annually. KIDS for the BAY Miller heard Ms. Billinge speak, he was interested in the idea is a non-profit organization founded in 1992 that brings a of the district also sponsoring KIDS for the BAY. He thought hands-on approach to teaching environmental awareness to the sponsorship would be a good fit because of the district’s elementary school students throughout the San Francisco commitment to both the environment and to the community. Bay Area. Through the sponsorship of a network of county
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California Special Districts • Nov-Dec 2019