Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District gets behind 4-H Water Ambassador Program

SPECIAL TO THE FLASH

During the recent January Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board Meeting, Stephanie Keith introduced Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s 4-H20 Program Coordinator, David Smith, to present the up and coming 4-H Water Ambassador Program.  As a District, everyone is thrilled about the progressive work that has been exemplified thus far by the first group of participants.  What a fantastic opportunity for high school aged students to become involved with the rising issue of water conservation within their very own communities.  Currently, the counties within the Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District are not represented by an ambassador.  We would like to share the program details in an effort to promote this opportunity to our local high school students. 

Thanks to the support of many in the water industry, a new Texas 4-H initiative is helping to grow the next generation of water leaders. 2017 marked the debut of the Texas 4-H Water Ambassador Program including selection of the first cohort of high school youth. The goal of the Program is to provide youth an opportunity to gain advanced knowledge and develop leadership skills related to the science, engineering, technology and management of water in Texas.

Sixteen youth representing 13 Texas counties were selected to participate in a summer 4-H2O Youth Leadership Academy. This 8-day educational tour experience covered 2,200 miles, featured 30 tours stops and educational presentations, and engaged nearly 80 water industry professionals across the State. The Academy exposed ambassadors to a wide range of water issues, provided a unique perspective of the many challenges faced by local communities, and offered a behind-the-scenes look into water planning. Tour stops and presentations addressed water law, policy, and management as well as hydrogeology, water treatment, and emerging technologies in irrigation management, reuse, desalination, and aquifer storage and recovery.

For participating youth, this experience greatly increased their appreciation for the complexity of meeting water demand with limited and uncertain water supply. It also opened their eyes to the many career opportunities in the water industry. “I have had the opportunity to learn a lot of new things and explore the water industry this past summer. I gained a new perspective: Water doesn’t just appear in your faucets and hoses, it’s carefully planned and managed by a community of passionate people.” –Molly McKinney (4-H Water Ambassador from San Antonio)

As 4-H Water Ambassadors, these youths are charged with providing water education and service back in their communities. Since July 2017, water ambassadors have provided more than 350 hours of service and have reached more than 4,200 adults and youth with water education. They lead water education efforts in their schools, 4-H clubs, and at community events. Several ambassadors have presented to their local groundwater conservation districts and at regional water planning meetings. For some, this Program has sparked an interest in advocacy and collaboration. “As an amateur ecologist and small farmer equipped by Texas 4-H2O, I have recently presented on new agriculture methods that protect soil and water at a science conference, and joined a citizen-lead committee to manage water pollution on Chocolate Bayou in Brazoria County.” –Christian Hernandez (4-H Water Ambassador from Manvel)

These activities encourage ambassadors to continually increase their water knowledge, and provide a unique opportunity to develop leadership and presentation skills that will serve them well in the future. “The Texas 4-H Water Ambassadors Program has opened my eyes to a whole new world of water, both in industry and government. This program has provided me with many opportunities to increase my leadership skills, especially in the areas of teaching and teamwork.” –John Phillip Jones (4-H Water Ambassador from Pattison)

Online applications for the 2018-2019 class of 4-H Water Ambassadors will be accepted February 19 through May 20. More details about the Program and application instructions are available online at https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/water/. To be eligible, youth must be entering the 9^th, 10^th, or 11^th grades for the 2018-2019 school year. Applicants do not have to be a current 4-H member. If selected, these individuals will be required to join a local 4-H club.