American Water Charitable Foundation Awards $17,850 Grant to Support Waterschool

The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) will expand its Waterschool Summer Programs in 2026 after securing a $17,850 grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation. The funding, awarded through the Water and Environment grant program, will cover 27 free youth program days from May to August, serving approximately 130 students from Illinois American Water communities in the Metro East and Mississippi River confluence region. The initiative includes five four-day camps, two two-day intensives, and one three-day intensive, with participation from partners like SIUE East St. Louis TRIO Upward Bound and Lewis and Clark Community College TRIO Upward Bound. Programs will feature hands-on activities such as water-quality monitoring, stormwater investigations, field studies, and wildlife education, with support for meals, transportation, and guided River Stewardship Paddles on the Mississippi River. Jolena Pang, Waterschool USA Program Manager at NGRREC, led the grant proposal submission in collaboration with regional education and youth-serving organizations. The grant will remove financial barriers for students by covering costs like meals, field supplies, and live wildlife programs, ensuring accessibility for all participants. Each program will conclude with a guided River Stewardship Paddle, combining recreation, ecology lessons, and shoreline cleanup. Students will also present their findings at five Student Showcase Nights, where families can view water-quality data, watershed maps, and stewardship outcomes. The American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program supports eligible organizations in communities served by American Water, with the Waterschool initiative aligning with its focus on water, people, and communities. For more information, contact the NGRREC Education Department at NGRRECEducation@lc.edu.