Participants in the Mountains to the Bay adult education program
Students discover how insects are used to determine water quality during a MWEE event
RSEP labeled storm drains to inform public that they drain to waterways
The TJSWCD provides a variety of natural resource-related educational services.
Click here for some fun and engaging education resources!
TJSWCD provides opportunities to continue to discover your local watershed independently in your own backyard, your home, at the kitchen table, or in your garage with a variety of links to videos, activities and articles for students and teachers to engage in. We are always adding new content so be sure to check back often!
Presentations, Workshops, Field Days
Local officials, schools, community organizations and the general public rely on the TJSWCD for workshops, “field days”, presentations, school events, and technical information. Classroom presentations are available to support grade-specific Standards of Learning (SOLs), and presentations on a variety of topics are available for community organizations.
If you are interested in TJSWCD providing an educational event for your organization, please contact our Education staff by emailing education [@] tjswcd.org
The TJSWCD coordinates the Envirothon Program on the local level. This event has past, but we look forward to next year! If you are interested in getting an Envirothon team started at your school, contact us via email- education(@)tjswcd.org
Louisa County High School took home 1st place at the 2023 Area II Competition and will be representing TJSWCD at the State Competition! We look forward to cheering them on!
- 2023 Special Topic: Adapting to a Changing Climate
- 2023 Local Competition: March 23, Camp Albemarle
- 2023 Area II Competition: April 18, Lenn Park, Culpeper
- 2023 State Competition: May 21-22, Virginia State University, Petersburg
- 2023 National Competition: July 23-29, Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada
VASWCD Youth Conservation Camp (YCC)
Each year, the TJSWCD provides funding to send two students to a weeklong Conservation Camp held at Virginia Tech each summer. The program brings together about 70 interested high school-aged students (currently enrolled in grades 9-12) for a week of learning about Virginia’s natural resources from conservation professionals and faculty from Virginia Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-on and outdoors.
The due date for applying to this year’s session has past. If you are interested in YCC, we encourage you to check back next spring!
- Camp will be held July 9-15 at Virginia Tech
- Applications can be found here.
- Please send completed applications (Application form and one Letter of Recommendation) to education@tjswcd.org by May 5, 2023.
- Applicants are encouraged to apply early! Camp scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- More information about the 2023 Youth Conservation Camp and pictures from previous camps can be found here.
Scholarships
The TJSWCD provides an annual Scholarships for individuals wanting to pursue a degree in a natural resource-related field.
We are pleased to announce the 2023 Thomas Jefferson Soil & Water Conservation District Scholarship Award Recipients:
- Allison Allen of Louisa County, attending Louisa High School, receiving a TJSWCD scholarship and nominated for a VASWCD scholarship.
- Escarlet Hernandez of Louisa County, attending Louisa High School, receiving a TJSWCD scholarship.
- Caroline Hill of Albemarle County, attending Western Albemarle High School, receiving a TJSWCD scholarship.
- Zoe Evans of Nelson County, attending Nelson County High School, receiving a TJSWCD scholarship.
Congratulations! TJSWCD wishes you the best in your collegiate studies and conservation endeavors.
To be eligible for all scholarships, applicants must have a permanent address within the boundaries of the TJSWCD, which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson Counties and the City of Charlottesville. Individual applicants must be full-time students enrolled in, or who have applied to, a college level curriculum. Applicants shall document a class ranking in the top 20% of his or her graduating class or a 3.0 or greater GPA or appropriate equivalent of individual scholastic achievement.
In addition to the TJSWCD scholarships, one chosen application will be forwarded to the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD) for consideration in their statewide scholarship program. Only one application form is necessary to apply for both the TJSWCD and VASWCD scholarships.
Scholarship applications are typically due in early April of each year and winners are notified in May. Applications (including form, official transcripts, 3 letters of recommendation, and essay) must be submitted to the TJSWCD office. PLEASE NOTE: Our offices are open by appointment only. Because of this, we will be accepting scholarship applications by email only. Please see the announcement below for email submission instructions.
The Scholarship Application deadline has past for 2023. We encourage any upcoming high school seniors to check back in this winter for the 2024 scholarship cycle.
2023 Scholarship Announcement
2023 Scholarship Guidelines
2023 Scholarship Application
Chesapeake Bay “Meaningful Watershed Education Experience” (MWEE)
The multistate “2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement” and the “Chesapeake Watershed Education Agreement: Fostering Chesapeake Stewardship” established educational goals related to watersheds and associated educational programming in schools. The TJSWCD provides “Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences” (MWEE events) to assist local schools in meeting these goals.
… are investigative or project oriented.
… are richly structured and based on high-quality instructional design.
… are an integral part of the instructional program.
… are part of a sustained activity.
… consider the watershed as a system.
… involve external sharing and communication.
… are enhanced by natural resources personnel.
… are for all students.
The District provides MWEE educational support to all fourth grade classes within Albemarle County and Charlottesville public schools. Similar watershed education programs are available for other grades and schools as our schedule allows, so please feel free to inquire with the TJSWCD.
These MWEE events include three “stations” facilitated by TJSWCD education staff and Rivanna Master Naturalist volunteers:
Rivanna Stormwater Education Partnership (RSEP)
RSEP is a collaborative effort among the local entities that hold stormwater permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. The TJSWCD facilitates and coordinates this partnership.