Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Water Awareness, Research and Education in East Tampa (WARE East Tampa): A pilot collaboration involving USF, Young Magnet Middle School and the East Tampa Community

EPA Grant Number: SU834301
Title: Water Awareness, Research and Education in East Tampa (WARE East Tampa): A pilot collaboration involving USF, Young Magnet Middle School and the East Tampa Community
Investigators: Trotz, Maya , Stuart, Amy L. , Green, Trent , Akiwumi, Fenda , Ergas, Sarina , Jackson, Antoinette , Feldman, Allan , Thomas, Ken D , Omisca, Erlande , Locicero, Ryan , Boxman, Suzanne , Dapcic, Anton , Halfhide, Trina , Earle, Alden , Beresford, Tulia
Institution: University of South Florida
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: II
Project Period: August 15, 2009 through August 14, 2011 (Extended to August 14, 2012)
Project Amount: $75,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet - Phase 2 (2009) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

P3 concepts were weaved into WARE’s educational program for USF College of Engineering students, Young Magnet’s middle school students and East Tampa community members the results of which have made a Phase II of the project lucrative. In the proposed Phase II of the project it is expected that Lockhart Elementary School as well as Middleton High School be brought on board to work with Young Middle Magnet on monitoring the three target ponds as well as making the community more aware of their findings. This is expected to be done through the construction of kiosks at the ponds as well appearances at USF’s Engineering Expo and the East Tampa Community Survival Day.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

Outputs proposed from this project and findings were:

• curriculum developed for students at Lockhart Elementary School and Middleton High School; 

• stormwater retention pond demonstration modules and tour that can be used to share information with other school teachers, students and community members; 

• water quality data collection for three retention ponds in East Tampa and establishment of a sustainable water monitoring program;

• assessment of heavy metal sediment loads in the storm water ponds in East Tampa; 

• reports of proposed activities needed to continue this project that are shared with the public through exhibits and on the web

The outcomes from this project were an increased understanding of stormwater ponds and their importance to communities in Florida and the creation of a mechanism to raise the level of environmental awareness amongst East Tampa residents.  Classroom and activity surveys showed knowledge of stormwater ponds through pre and post surveys with an increase in knowledge after a given activity. Multiple interdisciplinary proposals that build on WARE have been written with support from the East Tampa Community. Three that have been successful to date are: 

• Tampa Bay Environmental Fund ($105,000; PI: Sarina Ergas and co-PI Dr. Maya Trotz and Dr. James Mihelcic; June 2013 – June 2015; 4 bioretention cells to be built in East Tampa and community members trained in their construction and maintenance) Reducing N Loads to Tampa Bay Using Bioretention Systems.
• National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) ($392,816; Co-PI: Sarina Ergas; August 2012 – July 2015; 12 undergraduate researchers supported each year) Tampa Interdisciplinary Environmental Research (TIER).
• National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) ($500,000; Co-PI: Tina Hohlfeld; June 2012 – May 2015; 16 pre and in service teachers supported each year) Water Awareness Research and Education (WARE).
• National Science Foundation 

Many of the outreach activities initiated under WARE will continue as they have become integrated into middle school curriculum and other projects with various outputs for the web and other avenues of communication with a broader public.

 

Conclusions:

This project has impacted numerous people from the community, university and K-12 schools in Hillsborough county. At the community level East Tampa residents have learned about and from the project through presentations at their monthly meetings, through two radio broadcasts, through community events, and through newsletters distributed to students and new teachers. Mrs. Evangeline Best has become the community teacher who leads stormwater bus tours in East Tampa and who brought numerous other projects to her community through WARE. At USF faculty from engineering, architecture, anthropology and education have benefitted from WARE through research and education initiatives. Graduate students have published on WARE and integrated various aspects of the project into their research and professional development. Undergraduate students in multiple classes have participated in WARE though research and coursework. Schools throughout Hillsborough county have benefited from WARE with new curriculum and approaches to project based inquiry to improve water awareness. The project has contributed to the professional development of many teachers like Mrs. Krysta Porteus who has become a leading teacher in the district. Through projects like the RET WARE project, even more teachers are being trained with long term influence through the teachengineering website. Students from many classes and schools at the K-12 level have participated in this project with positive feedback after the various activities. Their parents have also been involved at our outreach activities and through our newsletters. 

Benefits to prosperity include the continued beautification projects in East Tampa and beyond, especially as they relate to stormwater management. Also, as more students at K12 engage with the project and as teachers present materials in more exciting way, there should be positive influences on getting students into STEM fields. The planet benefits from this project as people will better manage stormwater and ensure it is not polluted (e.g. with fertilizers). They will also see themselves as being integral to solutions that can be implemented at the community and household levels. 

Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views

Other project views:	All 8 publications	1 publications in selected types	All 1 journal articles

Publications

Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Mihelcic JR, Trotz MA. Sustainability and the environmental engineer:Implications for education, research, and practice. Environmental Engineer:Applied Research and Practice 2010;10:1.	SU834301 (Final)	Abstract: USF Abstract HTML Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

Ecosystem protection, environmental analysis, monitoring, sustainable environment, community based, surface water

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2010

2011

P3 Phase I:

Water Awareness, Research and Education in East Tampa (WARE East Tampa): A pilot collaboration involving USF, Young Magnet Middle School and the East Tampa Community  | Final Report