Generation Water July 2011 Cohort
G3 worked with non-profit Generation Water to develop and implement a Water Efficiency Professional Training Program for its youth employees who are part of their green workforce development effort under the State of California’s first Green Innovation Challenge Grant (a $2.5 million grant to grow the water efficiency sector) received by Generation Water and partners in June 2010. This five-day Custom Program emphasizes Assessing Sites using a Watershed Model, Designing for Attainable Sustainability, and Plant/Soil/Water Stewardship for Minimizing Resources. Students were enrolled in the Program through both Generation Water and its partner in the grant, Los Angeles Conservation Corp.
Generation Water and LACC Students Build A Sponge Garden
The Program divided its time between classroom work using a workbook, exercises, and a Powerpoint presentation, and field work using the Hands-on experience of assessing, designing, and building a Sponge Garden (Rain Garden) in a residential property. Each day another aspect of the Sponge Garden is explored, until the planting and irrigation is installed on the final day, and the project is turned back to the property owner.
Throughout the week, students were assigned to teams for evaluation of basic Watershed Wise Landscape concepts including: ETo, Soil Party (Biology in Living Soil), Plant Community, and Runoff Coefficient.
Students’ ability to work in groups, share knowledge and teach others basic concepts, and build upon ideas from the classwork were evaluated in the field. Individual progress in comprehending both the mathematics and the concepts was evaluated using Pre-Assessment and Post-Course Quizzes.
For more information about the Water Efficiency Professional Training Program, check out the G3 Blog Posts on this topic.
