Forest Service and South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition looking for volunteers for children's programs

A group of Lake Tahoe students listen intently to a STEEC volunteer during a Children's Forest activity (photo credit: U.S. Forest Service).

South Lake Tahoe, Calif., --The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (STEEC) need volunteers to assist with programs and activities for elementary school students in South Lake Tahoe this fall.  Volunteer training will take place on Wednesday, August 29, 2012, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Tallac Historic Site located approximately three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Hwy. 89.

Volunteers will train with experienced educators to learn skills needed to lead Children's Forest, Outdoor Explore and Kokanee Salmon field trips for students in kindergarten through 4th-grade.  Volunteers are encouraged to commit to volunteering a minimum of two program days during September or October 2012. 

Children’s Forest fieldtrips will be offered with support from a Forest Service grant to connect local 3rd and 4th grade students to Tahoe’s rich history.  Students will rotate through 3 stations within the Tallac Historic Site, including:  (1) Trees Are Terrific, (2) Ways of the Washoe, and (3) Tahoe’s Founding Families.

Outdoor Explore is designed for students from kindergarten to 2nd grade and includes fun educational activities to teach students about the local environment. Students will participate in 3 stations: (1) Trees Are Terrific, (2) Animals Are Amazing, and (3) Exploration Station.  Transitions between stations will engage their senses so that the entire fieldtrip stimulates curiosity and wonder of the natural world.

During the month of October students can experience Kokanee Salmon spawning in Taylor Creek while participating in a guided walk along the Rainbow Trail.  Students will gain a better understanding of wild life cycles, the importance of clean stream water, and general ecosystem health.

STEEC is a collaborative network of more than 20 local agencies and organizations dedicated to bringing high quality environmental education programs to Lake Tahoe Unified School District students.

For more information, contact Megan Dee at (530) 543-2618 or email mldee@fs.fed.us or visit www.steec.org.