Rescuing our Wetlands A learning and conservation experience where students connect with their local environment and a global community through mobile technologies

Cover Sheet Project Name: Rescuing our Wetlands: A learning and conservation experience where students connect with their local environment and a global community through mobile technologies Applicant1: Rio Bravo Wildlife Institute Mailing Address: Street 1474 W Price Road, Suite 7, Box 146 City Brownsville State Texas Zip code 78520 Annual Operating Budget of Organization (not applicable to public schools): $450,000.00 Percentage of students served by this project who receive free or reduced price meals 96% Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 26- 4666057 Project Leader/Director First Name: Carol M.I Last Name: Sebastian Position with school or organization: Executive Director E-mail address: csebastian@rbwi.org Business phone: 956.504.9563 Alternate phone Fax n/a Administrative Contact First name: Carol E-mail address: csebastian@rbwi.org Business phone: 956.504.9563 Last name: Sebastian Cell phone 909.648.5369 Fax n/a Summary Description of Project Students (grades – 9) from the LivingWay Academy will work with education and science experts from the Rio Bravo Wildlife Institute (RWBI), the Texas Park and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and Mobile Sanctuary (MobileS) to learn about and rehabilitate endangered Resaca wetland sites in the Rio Grande Valley Students will conduct environmental evaluations on their sites using a smart phone application that is designed to guide and educate them on appropriate procedures in the field The information they collect will be shared with their educational team/class, and uploaded to a website so that it can be accessed by a global conservation community of environmental experts and enthusiasts In collaboration with their class and this global community, the students will use the information they capture to develop plans to restore their sites which they will implement during this project The students will also establish a native plant nursery, the first of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley, to provide the plant Grants are made only to schools, and registered non-profit, 501 c(3) organizations—not individuals or businesses resources to rehabilitate their Resacas Qualifications Project Leader/Director: Carol Sebastian Current position in school or organization: Executive Director Number of years in current position: Briefly describe prior experience implementing activities related to the proposed project: Ms Carol Sebastian leads RBWI as the Executive Director As such, she oversees the programs at the Center, staff and volunteers, and the budget She is integrated into the Brownsville community and has lengthy experience in education and a passion for gardening She has been involved with the nonprofit conservation field for the last 20 years Before joining RBWI, Carol served as Development Director for the American Birding Association, Kootenai Environmental Alliance and San Bernardino Mountains Wildlife Society; and Executive Director for American Lands Alliance and President of the Rim of the World Trails Association Carol graduated magna cum laude with Bachelor degrees in secondary education, organic chemistry and biology from the University of Texas and a Masters in water policy from the University of California Her experience demonstrates her ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders to implement this project Her management skills will be utilized to successfully carry out the grant School(s) or Organization(s) Has the school or organization previously implemented any similar projects: Yes Does the school, school district, or organization have a stated policy or mission that supports or encourages environment-based education activities: Yes If yes, attach or send separately a copy of this policy or mission See attachment “Mission Statement” Briefly describe the school’s, school district’s, or organization’s prior experience implementing activities related to the proposed project: (300 words maximum) RBWI has successfully designed and build “Learning Gardens”, incorporating eight raised beds, a small orchard, two ponds and a connecting creek, a bird blind, several trails and the accompanying programs The programs and projects were developed to allow students at the University of Texas and students from grades 10-12 to mentor younger students in the middle schools However, the program is open to all ages and we have seen participation from seniors to elementary school students In addition, RBWI has developed “The Eco-Bus,” which is a 1997 Bluebird school bus retrofitted as a mobile lab The bus is equipped to make Bio-diesel fuel, and to provide demonstrations of solar energy and healthy cooking classes The Eco-Bus is scheduled to travel to six major cities in Texas in 2011, where we will host kid-driven projects that involve all members of the community, including a healthy kid’s cook-off, creation of an urban garden, and construction of greenhouse from plastic bottles at the Urban Harvest garden in the 5th Ward of Houston Our other current programs include expanding our “Healthy Kids” program to include a “Green Culinary Arts” operation, and a mobile cooking bus and food pantry We are also increasing our alternative energy program beyond biofuel to include wind energy as we incorporate a training program targeting entry level wind technicians We also continue to run a project called “The Edible Gardens”, which attracts members in the community who are interested in learning how to grow fresh vegetables and fruits in their back yards Our final project, “Get to Know Your Wetlands”, is a TPWD-funded program that allows students to learn about wetlands This project provides the foundation for the current proposal Project Partners2 Partner organization name: Mobile Sanctuary Organization contact name: Luk Hendrik, Ph.D Contact telephone and email: luk@mobile-sanctuary.org; Organization website: www.mobile-sanctuary.org Describe the partner’s role in implementing this project: Mobile Sanctuary, is a Sana organization from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA Mobile Sanctuary will lead the development and deployment of the mobile application and website described in the application What are the partner’s normal operations or activities: Mobile Sanctuary is dedicated to conserving natural resources and improving the environment of underserved and poor communities Has the partner previously been involved in any similar projects: Yes If yes, briefly describe partner’s prior experience implementing similar activities: Mobile Sanctuary, is a new environmentally focused organization within Sana, and consists of members from the larger Sana group Sana has successfully deployed its mobile technology in rural and underserved communities in Asia (including India and The Philippines), Africa (Swaziland), Europe (Greece), and the Americas (including Columbia and Brazil) It has received numerous national and international awards for its work, and has been featured in leading journals and newspapers Mobile Sanctuary has successfully developed the environmental assessment application for the LivingWay Students described in the proposal Partner organization name: The Living Way Leadership Academy Organization contact name: Belinda Lara Contact telephone and email: belindalara@livingwayrgv.com Describe the partner’s role in implementing this project: The Living Way Academy is a Brownsville Texas private middle school Students, who are members of the Science Club will participate in the project (which includes collecting data using the mobile application, as well as developing and executing wetland rehabilitation plans) under the guidance of Belinda Lara, the Science Club advisor, RBWI, TPWD, and MobileS staff What are the partner’s normal operations or activities: This school has a bi-lingual student body from the US and Mexico, and is known for its progressive teaching curriculum Has the partner previously been involved in any similar projects: Yes If yes, briefly describe partner’s prior experience implementing similar activities: Partnering organizations are important to the success and long-term sustainability of projects Groups and organizations, such as parent groups (PTA/PTSA), civic or environmental organizations, and businesses can be effective partners The Living Way Leadership Academy Science Club regularly participates in environmental projects sponsored by RWBI and other local groups and organizations Past projects have included: constructing the Aya Trail that is focused on ocelot habitat needs, constructing the pond complex in RWBI’s “Learning Gardens” that attracts birds, other wildlife and allows younger students participate in water research projects; and finally the Project: Hot Bird which focuses on observing and recording bird behaviors, especially the Neotropical Migratory birds Partner organization name: Texas Park and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Service Learning Texas (SLT) Organization contact name: Nancy Herron (TPWD); John Spence (SLT) Contact telephone and email: Nancy.Herron@tpwd.state.tx.us Describe the partner’s role in implementing this project: Scientists and members of TPWD Texas Nature Trackers and the Texas Master Naturalists will provide expertise and guidance to the students by hosting a training session on conservation at the beginning of the project; identifying appropriate sites for their research; serving as subject matter experts during the development and deployment of the mobile application and guides on the students’ field trips; and helping the students to develop viable conservation procedures to help restore the wetlands What are the partner’s normal operations or activities: TPWD manages natural resources for the state of Texas Texas Nature Trackers and Texas Master Naturalists are TPWD citizen science monitoring groups, which are designed to involve volunteers of all ages in gathering scientific data on endangered animals and plants in Texas through experiential learning The goal of the program is to enable long-term conservation of the wildlife of Texas Service Learning is education in action, a way for youth to gain knowledge and develop skills while meeting real community needs Has the partner previously been involved in any similar projects: Yes If yes, briefly describe partner’s prior experience in implementing similar activities: A significant focus of TPWD educational programs is environmental education for school-aged children Service Learning Texas, works with students from grades K-12 throughout the state, and they allow students to make a difference in their community at any age or ability level Project Description Project Goals and Objectives State the educational goal(s) of this project: (100 words maximum) The project meets Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) science, math, and language arts objectives through planned and deliberate investigations of a wetland ecosystem and the natural world as students learn about biotic communities, research practices, communicate valid conclusions to others, and use scientific data to provide thoughtful input into complex decisions faced by the local communities We hope that all of our students will emerge from this experience as ambassadors for their local and global environment, and that it may encourage them to become future leaders in the fields of community-building, science, and technology State the environmental goal(s) of this project: (100 words maximum) The project will improve our understanding of Resaca wetlands and their unique flora and fauna It will engage a local and global community in discussions on how to conserve and restore endangered wetlands to produce healthy, thriving ecosystems By reintroducing native plants, the students will contribute to ongoing efforts to restore and sustain important habitats Is the proposed project part of a larger program? Yes If yes, briefly describe the larger program: The TPWD is rehabilitating wetlands and other habitats at its state parks The current project will allow us to collect and store needed data by employing mobile technologies, and involve students, enthusiasts, and experts within the communities, and across the state and the country in this important effort Identify the educational objectives of the project: The project meets the following learning objectives: TEKS §111.23 (math) §112.23 (science) and §110.18 - §110.20 Math: Direct proportional relationships in number, geometry, measurement, and probability Number operation quantitative reasoning Problem solving Conceptual understanding, connections within and outside mathematics Science: Science inquiry Observation skills Field and laboratory investigations Science literacy Scientific method, critical thinking, problem solving, and information technology Technological principles relating to such topics as the nature of systems, importance of feedback Language Arts Critical readers Make connections –thematic links, connections between and across texts Make intertextual links among and across texts Make complex inferences, use textual evidence to support understanding Knowledge and skill level increases with each grade level Project activities: (500 words maximum) Resacas, are abandoned river coils in the delta of the Rio Grande, which form a unique wetland habitat that is key to the health of the Gulf Coast and it surrounding areas They sustain hundreds of local and neotropical migratory birds, as well as animals and plants, including dozens that are endangered, such as the iconic ocelot Historically, they covered large swaths of the Rio Grande floodplain in Southern Texas and Northern Mexico But, flood control and other destructive human activities have led to the degradation of this habitat Currently less than 5% of Resacas remain in their native condition The surviving resacas form a patchwork of fragile, compromised habitat while other areas of the habitat have dried up The time is now to preserve what remains, and restore what can be returned to its native state This complex conservation effort is being spearheaded by the TPWD, in collaboration with a network of conservation groups, including RBWI Over the next 12 months, 40 to 60 student volunteers (grades – 9) from the LivingWay Leadership Academy in Brownsville, Texas will help to restore Resacas by studying and rehabilitating up to five research sites Under the supervision of experts from TPWD and RBWI, our students will use a mobile application developed by MobileS to evaluate Resacas by capturing information about the number and types of animals and plants observed, and the quality of the downstream water at each research site The students will share the data they collect with local and global experts through an online project collaboration workspace, and use the feedback from these experts to develop and execute a plan to rehabilitate their site To provide students with the plants they will need to restore their sites, they will establish a native plant nursery, the first of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley The students will monitor their research sites through the Spring of 2012, at which time they will present their work to the local community and publish their findings online At the beginning of the project, students will participate in a week-long conference hosted by TPWD and SLT that will prepare them for the project by giving them an introduction to conservation They will also participate in regular meetings with their peers at school, with the local community, and with the scientists and experts from TPWD, RBWI, and MobileS to share their findings and scientific insights Faculty and staff involvement: Position Ms Carol Sebastian, (RBWI), Project Supervisor Involvement Oversee planning and execution of project plan, manage resources, communication Dr Luk Van Parijs, (MobileS), CoProject Supervisor) Oversee planning and execution of project plan, manage technology development and deployment, communication Joe Boswell (RBWI) Project Leader Supervise and organize student field activities, and community interaction Mr Lyle Muzingo (RBWI) Garden Master Manage, and maintain native plant nursery Ms Belinda Lara (LivingWay Leadership Academy) Science Club Advisor and School Teacher Lead school-based education activities, supervise students in the field, and ensures educational goals are met Mr Kailash Arulkamaran (Mobile Sanctuary), Technology Lead Develop the mobile technology and provide technical support Dr Shanta Griffin (Mobile Sanctuary), Training Lead Train students and staff on the use of the mobile technology, develops online technology training materials, and assists with customer support Ms Claudia Tamez (TPWD), Lead Scientist Provide scientific and environmental guidance during project planning, execution, and evaluation, and ensures environmental goals are met Student involvement: Grade Levels and number of students who will participate in this project Instructors Role Grade Level Number of Student Team Members in each grade Larisa De La Rosa Student Team Leader Grade 25 - 30 Derick Lara Student Team Leader Grade 15 Paul Barrera Student Team Leader Grade 15 Arron Barrera Student Team Leader Grade 15 Joshua Downs Student Team Leader Grade 15 Describe, if applicable, the involvement of students in the planning of this project: The Student Team Leads have been involved in many aspects of the planning of the project They developed content for the Health Habitats grant that was recently funded by the TPWD and SLT to support this project In addition, they have held regular meetings over the summer to determine project objectives such as, the targeted research habitats, and how technology can assist them in collecting and sharing data They will also attend an orientation and training session hosted by the TPWD and SLT in August When the school year starts, the Student Team Leads will play a central role in training and mentoring other student participants in this project Potential challenges or obstacles: (Identify any potential challenges or obstacles to achieving success with this project.) The key obstacles that we need to overcome are: a) Develop educationally effective and scientifically sound material To achieve this we will rely on our extensive internal expertise and experience in environmental education (RBWI), as well as our partners who are experts in the field of conservation (TPWD) and the development of mobile teaching content (Mobile Sanctuary) b) Coordinate activities between all parties involved so that the students have a positive and productive learning experience To achieve this we will develop a comprehensive and integrated project plan that will be implemented by experienced project managers (Carol Sebastian, and Luk Van Parijs) c) Deploy a cutting-edge and comprehensive mobile application to assist students in conducting effective and educational environmental evaluations and data storage To achieve this goal, we will rely on our partners’ experience in deploying mobile technologies across the globe (MobileS as members of Sana at MIT), and we will work with the local community to sustain the technology over time through the support of the University of Texas Project Sustainability: This project will serve as a prototype for organizations that wish to involve students in becoming aware of the importance of sustaining the environment in which we live by learning to evaluate and restore wetland and other endangered habitats The TPWD will continue to use the mobile tools and materials we develop to allow students – from the LivingWay Leadership Academy and other schools – to return in subsequent years to monitor the success of their restorative efforts at their research sites; as well as expand their efforts to new endangered habitats We are devoted to sharing our mobile technology and evaluative approaches by making them openly available online to be downloaded without cost by interested individuals, groups, or organizations Our experts will provide mentorship – to help establish groups that have the capability and capacity to pursue similar projects independently During the 12 months of the project, we will work with faculty and students at local colleges and universities, including the University of Texas – Brownsville campus to expand and refine our technologies, approaches, and skills The success of this project will attract other foundations, corporations, organizations, and donors who are interested in the restoration of the Gulf Coast and other endangered habitats Project Evaluation How you plan to evaluate the educational accomplishments of this project? (Measures related to state/district education standards or the other content and skills that are the focus of student learning.) This project will be integrated within the grade school curriculum, so it is not a standalone initiative but a means to enhance learning through the use of technology Students will be tested by their teachers on the knowledge they gained, and their ability to problem solve within the context of important environmental challenges Success in achieving the key educational objectives of this project will be evaluated as follows: a) Learn about their local environment through the use of mobile technology, classbased education, and field experiences: a All student leaders will learn about the environmental needs by attending TPWD-hosted conferences at the beginning and end of the project to prepare students to lead their class groups b) All student teams will prepare and deliver an end-of-project report at their school and for the TPWD to demonstrate the environmental knowledge they gained from this project c) Learn how technology can be used to address environmental problems: a All students will develop experience using the mobile technology to evaluate and capture data in the field? b Have all student teams work regularly with their online “conservation experts” through the project website to develop strategies to restore their habitats d) Develop problem-solving and interpersonal skills by collaborating in real and virtual teams a Ensure that every student team has developed a rehabilitation plan for their site b Provide methods for the students to evaluate the effectiveness of their restorative efforts e) Engage students in evaluating their experiences: a Students will complete an online survey at the end of the project that will evaluate aspects of the project they would have liked to change, or experiences they would want to have in the future Open ended questions will including, “if you were to develop an environmental conservation project, what conservation activities will you make sure your student complete? This step will educate students on how to think about and develop environmental projects based on their experiences and the results of their conservation efforts We will also assess the knowledge they gained through the project We anticipate this project will increase understanding and interest in conserving the environment How you plan to quantify or otherwise measure student involvement in project activities and the effectiveness of hands-on learning during this project? (Describe how you will record the involvement of students and the benefits they received from their hands-on learning opportunities.) Each evaluation will include objectives that students will meet such as: a) identifying wetland habitats, b) following procedures for evaluating the habitats, c) correctly collecting data using mobile technology d) successfully uploading data to an online database for storage e) communicating with wildlife experts on wetland issues f) developing feasible, cost effective, and successful conservation plans that can be implemented immediately to stall, or reserve the degradation of wetland habitats Students will be assessed on their ability to meet these objectives by a) teacher observation of skill level b) students ability to answer test questions on conservation efforts c) and students willingness to assist each other in these efforts, which shows leadership and independence Student who participate in this project will gain: a) problem solving skills that can be applied throughout their lives b) gain mentorship from experts they would otherwise not have access c) learn the scientific method of assessing, recording, and writing up scientific results, which may inspire future scientists across scientific fields d) learn to use mobile technology for scientific endeavors, which may encourage future computer scientists and engineers e) Experience collaborating with other students, their teachers, and experts in the field which leads to team work skills How you plan to assess the environmental accomplishments of this project? (Describe how you will determine and record the environmental benefits of this project.) We recognize that it will take time to observe changes in the environment from our students’ efforts Therefore, we will assess environmental accomplishments based on the amount of area within a wetland that we were: a) Able to assess b) The amount of data recorded and upload to the database about the wetland, which is information that is currently lacking c) And the development of plans to conserve the wetlands Putting the plans into action may require additional funding, support from the state, or other measures that may not be immediately within the control of the teachers and their students However, we will make every effort to pursue plans that are easily implemented within the year of the project How you plan to monitor the involvement of partnering community organizations in this project? (Describe how you will keep track of the work of partner organizations.) An integrated project plan will be established that lays out each partner’s activities and responsibilities Experienced project managers (Carol Sebastian, Luk Van Parijs) will be responsible for driving execution of this plan The key responsibilities of MobileS are: a) Development of the mobile application b) Development of the social networking site to join students and experts to problem solve conservation efforts c) Establish a database to store uploaded data from the mobile application d) And train teachers, students, and other volunteers on the use of the mobile application To monitor their involvement, we will be in regular contact with the Director of Mobile Sanctuary on time tables, and deliverables TPWD will be responsible for: providing scientific guidance and mentorship to the students on plans, execution, and developing environmental goals We will monitor their involvement by: a) Ensuring our lead scientist has secured several rotating experts who will be available to connect with students via email, skype (internet communication that allows multiple people to speak to and see each other in real time), or face to face visits b) Our teachers will be involved with these communications to ensure they are within the capability of the class and it’s students Timeline Planning Start date: 6/1/2011 End date: 9/1/2011 Implementation Start date: 10/1/2011 End date: 4/1/2012 Evaluation Start date: 4/1/2012 End date: 9/1/2012 Final Report Due date: 10/1/2012 (within 30 days from the end of the grant period) ... words maximum) The project will improve our understanding of Resaca wetlands and their unique flora and fauna It will engage a local and global community in discussions on how to conserve and restore... (including Columbia and Brazil) It has received numerous national and international awards for its work, and has been featured in leading journals and newspapers Mobile Sanctuary has successfully... Grande, which form a unique wetland habitat that is key to the health of the Gulf Coast and it surrounding areas They sustain hundreds of local and neotropical migratory birds, as well as animals