05/06/15
Children in after school programs at Washington, Wilson, O'Loughlin and Lincoln Elementary Schools in Hays are getting informed this spring about clean water by Fort Hays State University students in Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, an agriculture course.

Students are using posters and class activities to teach ways to prevent pollution and protect water sources. Students are also using the EnviroScape, a molded plastic landscape, to demonstrate point and nonpoint pollution from industrial, agricultural, recreational, construction and residential areas.

This service-learning project is a method of teaching and learning that integrates community service activities into academic curricula and expands learning of students from the classroom to the community.

FHSU students participating are Andrew Amerin, Plains senior; Joey Augustine, Hays senior; Matt Crotinger, Bison junior; Erik Ellis, Ness City senior; Levi Prieb, Buhler junior; Cody Prosser, Scott City senior; Lucas Robison, Orleans, Neb., junior; Mykaela Smart, Frankfort junior; Brent Stoss, Olmitz senior; Lindsey Underwood, Esbon senior; and Boone Wells, Garden City junior.

Funding for the project is provided by the Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Picture caption: Brent Stoss (left) explains the differences between rural and urban water quality while Andrew Amerin (right) shows children in the after school program at Washington Elementary School the sources of pollution in the environment. Stoss and Amerin are agriculture majors at Fort Hays State University.