Lynchburg students take hands-on science trips to James River under grant-funded program

Students from Lynchburg City Public Schools described grant-funded, hands-on science activities on the James River that organizers said aim to connect classroom lessons with outdoor experiences and build long-term stewardship among young people.

A student identified in the transcript as "Speaker 2" said, "My favorite part of today was definitely the kayaking. We got to catch macro vertebrates, which are just like little bugs that live in the water, and it was just really cool. In the classroom, you have to look at it, but out here you can actually touch it and see things." Another student, identified as "Speaker 3," said, "I would really like to do science in the future. It's a great way to, like, help the environment, help the people around me, and, figure out how the world works."

Program presenters and participants credited the James River Association and Lynchburg Water Resources with providing the on-river instruction and activities that complement school curricula. "The experience here with the James River Association and Lynchburg Water Resources really provides all students with an amazing experience to where they're getting a hands on understanding of what they're learning in their textbook as well as in their classroom," a speaker identified as "Speaker 2" said.

Organizers described plans to expand the program to include a new effort focused on 6th graders and a mentorship program that pairs high school students with younger students to build confidence and local environmental advocacy. "We're actually gonna jump into a new endeavor to work with 6th graders to kind of build their confidence and have a a place in the community. We're also gonna be creating a mentorship program for high schoolers to work with the 6th graders and show them and lead by example on how, you know, we can become the next generation of advocates for the river," a speaker identified as "Speaker 4" said.

Speakers emphasized that some students live near the river but had not previously visited it. "We have a lot of students that live near the river, have seen the river, but they actually hadn't been to the river. They didn't know about the river's history. This grant not only helps them understand their community, but it also allows those students to get excited about the science," a speaker identified as "Speaker 1" said.

The transcript refers to a "grant" supporting the activities but does not specify the grant's name, amount, funding source or timeline. Organizers framed the work as both an instructional enhancement and a way to foster future environmental stewardship: "What our hope is that the 6th graders see their enthusiasm for how special and how important this natural resource is. We hope that these experiences lead to a positive in the classroom, as well as them making positive change in our James River watershed in the near future," "Speaker 2" said.

No formal votes or policy actions were recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.