By Erin Mosley, Chair of WEF's Stockholm Junior Water Prize Committee
This week, nearly 50 students and many of their teachers are travelling to Anchorage, Alaska, for the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) Competition hosted by the Alaska Water Wastewater Management Association (AWWMA) and WEF. As the only major high school science competition focusing on the water environment, the SJWP offers its participants an opportunity to meet role models and peers who understand their projects and their passion for water quality issues. It’s also a different kind of competition...one that emphasizes collaboration, networking, and fun over “lone wolf” research.
The competition reaches a broad range of students through its multiple levels of competition. After projects are submitted online for the state level competition, many students are interviewed by water industry professionals from the WEF Member Associations (MAs). In this way, each MA plays a crucial role in connecting with these students and encouraging their interest.
The state winners arrive at the U.S. on-site competition to meet the judges and attend the award ceremony, but they leave with a network of friends and future colleagues developed through the social and educational events. Likewise, their teachers participate in an outreach program that encourages water-related curriculum and research over the long term. And the competition doesn’t stop there – we provide opportunities to publish, keep in touch, and more.
The SJWP program addresses so many areas of interest to WEF members that it is hard to list them all in one blog: workforce sustainability, career outreach, fueling future research, networking among up-and-coming water professionals, and strengthening ties between WEF and its MAs are only the first things that come to mind.
So as I travel to Anchorage to be a “coach” to a group of state winners for the fourth year running, my thanks go out to Stephanie Costello and others at WEF, the SJWP committee (which is always looking for new members), AWWMA and the volunteers in Alaska, our sponsors, each MA that has helped with state competitions and student/teacher airfares, and any other volunteer or friend who has touched this competition in the last decade.
Please contact us if you have ideas and would like to get involved. And make sure to check out the SJWP page soon for news on the U.S. winner and finalists. Cheers!
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Yay! Thanks, Erin, for creating a post on the SJWP program. It wasn't too long ago when I was an SJWPer myself (2004 and 2005), and I must say that the wonderful people I have met through the SJWP program (both at the state and national level) have been instrumental in guiding me and showing me where to share the energy and enthusiasm I have for educating the next generation about water! :) I have to say, over the last five years, some of the people I met through the SJWP program have become like family to me, and I can only thank WEF and CWEA for that. :) The SJWP is an exciting opportunity for all young students who are interested in the water/wastewater industry to not only get to share the fruits of their research, but also to meet others who share their passion and interests. A big thanks to all who are involved in making the SJWP program happen.
ReplyDeleteMegan, I was just thinking today that the on-site competition is kind of like WEFTEC-in-training. Your experience is a great example. It's great to have you involved on the SJWP committee!
ReplyDeleteThe competition has been superb! Thanks to everyone who has done so much for the kids and teachers! I know they are all thrilled to be in Alaska! I have had the opportunity to go to many national competitions but the SJWP is the best for several reasons. Most notably is simply the idea of a common theme (water) which ties students and teachers together looking at a critical resource.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great feedback and to everyone who particpated in this year's competition! You can find the press release for our US winner at: http://www.wef.org/NewsCenter/06292009.htm
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