In 2023, Friends of the Big Sioux River received the Sustainable Community Grant from the City of Sioux Falls for our Big Sioux River Water Quality Curriculum Development and Education project. Grant funds were used to develop curricula and purchase supplies to bring hands-on water quality education to K-12 classrooms. One year later, the positive impacts of the grant can be seen throughout the watershed, with over 1,000 students learning about our local rivers, lakes, and streams within the last year. From in-classroom instruction centered around water quality data to field trip experiences at local streams and lakes, students are now interacting directly with the Big Sioux River like never before.

When speaking with students, we often ask them to describe the Big Sioux River. Some of the common responses are dirty, polluted, the Big Poo, and the Big Sewer. At the beginning of the lesson, they do not have any desire to touch the water samples or go in the water. However, by the end of class, they are not afraid to go in or touch the water samples, and they feel a greater connection to their local waterbody. These hands-on experiences help break the cycle of apathy surrounding the river and reconnect them to the life source that flows through the heart of eastern South Dakota.

By providing these hands-on lessons, students will be more likely to think about how individuals, businesses, and communities affect the river and its water quality. One local high school teacher shared his experience of working with FBSR: “Friends of the Big Sioux River was beyond helpful for my AP Environmental Science class. They engaged my students in real-world water sampling and testing in our local watershed, which had my students thinking about the regional impacts on the health of the river and how we can mitigate those impacts. Without FBSR, we wouldn’t have advocates in our classrooms teaching students about how important our watershed’s health is,” said Nolan Ortbahn, the AP Environmental Science teacher at Harrisburg High School.

Through this project, students have learned how improving water quality helps restore biodiversity within our natural ecosystems. They have left the class with actionable knowledge and sustainable actions they can take at home or in the community to improve water quality and reduce water usage. Thanks to the grant funding from the City of Sioux Falls, we look forward to educating more students in the watershed about the Big Sioux River for years to come.

If you or someone you know is interested in having FBSR in your classroom or community group, contact our outreach coordinator at outreach@friendsofthebigsiouxriver.org. You can also learn more about our education offerings at fbsr.org/education.