In the year 2001-2002 Chimacum Middle School revived an old project, conducting water quality tests on Chimacum Creek. Through three grants that I got during the 2000-2001 school year this project came to life. The Toshiba America Foundation granted $4,800, EDS granted $1,500, and the Friends of Chimacum Foundation granted $250.

By the spring of 2003 I received another grant, the WEA Innovative Educator's Award for $1,500 to purchase another handheld computer, sensor interface and probe along with parts for our very own Benthic Index of Biological Integrity (BIBI) kit!

During the summer of 2003 I applied for and received OSPI's Learn and Serve America Washington grant to take our project to the next level in style. I was awarded approximately $14,000 a year for three years!! With these monies I purchased equipment to create our own DVD's to send to other schools along with software and equipment to create an interactive, online database that we and other schools can add data to as well as map making software.

And it's not over. During the summer of 2006 (after my original three year Learn & Serve grant ended) I applied for and got another $4,000 per year for another three years to keep this water quality project going! Learn & Serve is awesome!!

As if there weren't enough, during the summer of 2009 (after my Learn & Serve mini-grant ended) I applied for th new sustainable design grants that Learn & Serve was offering and I got another $5,620 per year for another three years to replenish the project's aging equipment! This project is wonderful and will certainly continue to grow and get better for students and for Chimacum Creek!

Here's my L&S grant application and what I have been purchasing with the funds.