 TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE CAMP, CLICK HERE
Local students recently got a rare, hands-on lesson in how a hazardous spill would affect the Kentucky River.
They participated in a unique day camp hosted June 20 by the Challenger Center of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky PRIDE and the National Weather Service’s Jackson Office. The event was open to children ages 9 to 12 from southern and eastern Kentucky, and it was held at the Challenger Center, which is in Hazard.
To start the day, the students were briefed about an overturned diesel truck that had leaked into the river.
From there, they learned how real-life meteorologists would assist in cleaning up the spill by predicting the movement of the diesel, based on weather forecasts. That session was led by staff of the NOAA National Weather Service’s Jackson Weather Forecast Office.
Students also learned how to measure water quality in the river. At the North Fork of the Kentucky River, they performed chemical tests on water samples, and they collected macro-invertebrates, which showed if the river was clean enough to support life.
“The students really enjoyed searching for bugs in the water,” said Sara Gilbert, the PRIDE education coordinator who led the water quality exercise. “They found many species that indicated ‘excellent’ water quality, which was a good sign.”
At the end of the day, the Challenger Center staff led an activity about the water cycle. Students saw that the water in the river would impact life in the area, return to the sky, and eventually fall back to earth as rain.
“The camp was a fun, real-world learning experience for the students, so we at PRIDE were very pleased by our first partnership with the Challenger Center and National Weather Service office,” said Tammie Wilson, PRIDE’s vice president and chief operating officer. “Only southern and eastern Kentuckians have the advantage of being served by three agencies like ours, all committed to exciting young people about nature. Parents and teachers should keep an eye out for our future activities.”
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