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SAN PABLO, RICHMOND KIDS GRADUATE FROM U.S. EPA SCHOOL PROGRAM

Release Date: 5/7/1997
Contact Information: Dave Schmidt, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1578

     (San Francisco) -- In the first graduation ceremonies for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) "Adopt-A-School" pilot project, 120 students in four classes of grades four to six at two schools in Richmond and San Pablo demonstrated their knowledge of local environmental issues and received certificates for completing the program's course of hands-on environmental learning activities.

     "These students can be proud of what they've learned about pollution prevention and environmental stewardship with U.S. EPA's Adopt-A-School project," said Harry Seraydarian, associate regional administrator for U.S. EPA's western regional office in San Francisco.  "I'd like to thank Harriet Hill of our Water Division for organizing the program, and the more than 50 U.S. EPA employees from our regional office in San Francisco and our lab in Richmond for volunteering to work with these students, as well as the East Bay Regional Parks District, the West County Toxics Coalition, and volunteers from the local governments of Richmond, San Pablo, and Contra Costa County."  

     During the one-month program, U.S. EPA scientists and technicians led students on explorations of fresh water and salt water habitats at Wildcat Creek, Point Pinole, and the Richmond Shoreline, all within two miles of the two schools.  At Point Pinole they observed aquatic invertebrates and learned about pollution and the site's history of dynamite manufacturing, while at Wildcat Creek they tested water quality; netted and identified fish, crayfish, and aquatic insects; and collected litter.  A third field trip took them to a salt marsh where they analyzed soil samples, identified birds and plants, and learned about the importance of salt marshes to the Bay's ecosystem.  The students also participated in classroom demonstrations that modelled Bay pollution, and toured U.S. EPA's Richmond lab, where they  saw spawning sea urchins, collected water quality samples, and learned about environmental careers.

     San Pablo's Dover School and Richmond's Verde School participated in the program.  Dover School is a bilingual English-Spanish school that serves San Pablo's Hispanic community, and Verde School's students come from a low-income community in Richmond.    

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