Want to become one of Philly's first Watershed Stewards? Contact Alisa at alisa@landhealthinstitute.org or 267-571-5750 to request an application. The deadline to apply is this Friday, May 5th
Having passion for a cause doesn't always pay off. But this summer, it can.
If you have a love of the outdoors and an interest in becoming involved in your community, you can be one of the Philadelphia Water Department's first Watershed Stewards.
We've partnered with the LandHealth Institute—a nonprofit organization providing environmental education and stewardship services to Philadelphia youth—to create the Philadelphia Watershed Stewards program.
The deadline to apply is this Friday, May 5th.
Watershed Stewards is designed to engage students in their communities while providing them with real-world experience and skills to succeed in the future. As part of this new program, 20 high school students age 15-18 from West Philadelphia will work alongside PWD, the LandHealth Institute and other environmental and civic leaders and learn how to become a steward of the Darby-Cobbs watershed.
For 11 weeks, students will meet at a designated location to be trained in the best ways to protect the watershed. These sessions, which are scheduled to begin May 17th, will generally be held on Wednesdays and last for approximately two hours. During this training period, the stewards will learn about a variety of environmental topics impacting our waterways today, including stormwater runoff, watershed management and general ecology.
At the end of the training sessions, students will have opportunities to put their new skills to use throughout the summer and early fall. The trained stewards will use their newfound knowledge to help host summer outdoor events designed to engage peers and residents. Potential events include cleanups, nature walks along Cobbs Creek, or tours of local green infrastructure.
Alisa Shargorodsky, a program manager at LandHealth Institute, will be leading the Stewards alongside Dan Schupsky, who is an Outreach Specialist for PWD. Interested students should contact Alisa at alisa@landhealthinstitute.org or 267-571-5750 to request an application.
Students accepted into the program will have the opportunity to earn up to $850 over the course of the summer. An initial amount of $275 can be earned by attending all scheduled training sessions. Once training is complete, students can earn up to $575 for participating in different events hosted by the program over the summer.
The ideal Watershed Steward is passionate about protecting the environment, our local waterways, and their community—no prior experience is needed. PWD and the LandHealth Institute hope to find students eager to advance their knowledge of the environment and help Philadelphians connect with their local waterways and nature.
As one of the largest creeks in Philadelphia that has not been buried or channeled underground, Cobbs Creek flows into the important John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and plays a vital role in the history and future of West Philadelphia.
PWD and the LandHealth Institute seek to empower communities by providing their youth with the tools, knowledge and experience to become involved in the urban environment and interact with the world around them.
With your help, the City of Philadelphia can continue making a positive impact in our communities by keeping our waterways clean.
Become one of Philly's first Watershed Stewards – contact Alisa Shargorodosky at alisa@landhealthinstitute.org or 267-571-5750 today!
If you have any questions, please contact Alisa, or Dan Schupsky at Daniel.schupsky@phila.org or 215-683-3405.
