By Megan Alley, Sun Editor

The Ohio River Foundation is offering its hands-on, science, technology, engineering, and math environmental education programs to area students again this year, and educators are encouraged to submit applications for the 2023-24 school year.

Cincinnati-based nonprofit ORF is dedicated to protecting and improving the water quality and ecology of the Ohio River and its entire watershed, according to a press release for the programs.

ORF has been offering education programs since 2005.

The goal of the programs is to improve academic STEM skills. Also, ORF aims to help kids – the next generation of environmental stewards, voters, and government leaders – foster a lifetime interest in protecting the environment in their communities and beyond.

More than 5,100 students took part in ORF’s Mussels in the Classroom and River Explorer programs in 2022, according to a press release.

Applications for both programs will be accepted on a rolling basis and can be submitted on ORF’s website.

Mussels in the Classroom teaches students about Purple Wartybacks, Pigtoes, Fatmuckets, and Monkeyface; important river species that will visit area classrooms as part of the program.

“These small but mighty creatures have an important job to do. Through this program, students get the chance to play host to and learn about freshwater mussels and their importance to river ecosystems. ORF launched MIC, the first program of its kind, in 2017. Since then, nearly 10,000 students in the Greater Cincinnati, Greater Columbus, and Greater Lexington areas have experienced the program,” reads a press release.

The program starts with a 45-minute program from an ORF educator, who describes the freshwater mussels’ unusual characteristics and significance to their ecosystems. Mussels clean water and act as a natural filter for our waterways. Many species are threatened or endangered. Following the program, mussels remain in the classroom for two weeks so students can care for and study them.

Melinda Voss, ORF’s Education Programs Manager, is quoted as saying, “Students fall in love with freshwater mussels during this program! They start with little to no knowledge of this complex and highly threatened species that share our local waterways and end with new knowledge and passion for protecting our watershed and the amazing creatures living in it.”

MIC is open to grades K-12, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis on the program’s webpage. Availability is Sept. 1 through Dec. 15 and Jan. 15, 2024, through June 1, 2024.

River Explorer is offered in Greater Cincinnati and Columbus. The trips let students be junior scientists for a day as they do real-world, hands-on water quality assessments while wading in local creeks and streams, according to a press release. Students use real scientific equipment while learning about the ecology and importance of the Ohio River and its watershed. Open to grades four through 12, River Explorer includes three hands-on stations:

– Catching, examining and identifying fish.

– Collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates.

– River chemistry (grades six through 12) or water use and the water cycle (grades four and five).

High School students also take part in habitat assessments as part of their day, and ORF educators briefly cover topics such as water pollution and environmental stewardship with all students.

The River Explorer program is offered in September, October, April, and May. Greater Cincinnati field trips take place at Nisbet Park and Lake Isabella Park in Loveland; Sycamore Park in Batavia; Sharon Woods Park in Sharonville; Pioneer Park in Covington; and Guilford Covered Bridge Park in Guildford, Indiana. Columbus programs are at Highbanks MetroPark and Gahanna Friendship Park.

Voss spoke about Clermont County’s unique offerings.

“Sycamore Park is a wonderful location for allowing Clermont County students an opportunity to safely explore and learn about the Ohio River watershed. The park is nestled alongside the Little Miami River with plenty of safe and easily navigable access points to get into the river. The park offers really nice, newly constructed, accessible amenities as well. Sycamore Park is a favorite site for River Explorer field trips, because of the easy access to a beautiful stretch of the Little Miami River, which contains an abundance of fish and macroinvertebrate species. Large and small school groups have plenty of room to spread out and explore the riffles and calm backwaters of the Little Miami River just steps from the parking lot,” she said.

Applications for River Explorer field trips are accepted on a rolling basis on the program’s web page.

For more information, visit www.ohioriverfdn.org.