Assemblymember Wallace Secures $10,000 for Hands-on Youth Waterway Education Program
Funding will allow Friends of Reinstein Woods to continue to hold “A Day in the Life of the Niagara River/Lake Watershed Program” to teach youth biology, encourage environmentalism
Assemblymember Monica Wallace observes Depew High School students collecting water sample data from Cayuga Creek in Como Lake Park, Lancaster, as part of the "A Day in the Life of the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed" Thursday, October 7. Students from other schools collected water sample data from sites in Mill Road Park, Akron Falls Park, Hyde Park Lake and Sprague Brook County Park.
Assemblymember Monica Wallace observes Depew High School students collecting water sample data from Cayuga Creek in Como Lake Park, Lancaster, as part of the "A Day in the Life of the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed" Thursday, October 7. Students from other schools collected water sample data from sites in Mill Road Park, Akron Falls Park, Hyde Park Lake and Sprague Brook County Park.
Today, Assemblymember Monica P. Wallace (D-Lancaster) announced that she has secured $10,000 in state funding for Friends of Reinstein Woods to support programming to teach students about the health and importance of local waterways.
Every October, the Friends of Reinstein Woods organizes the “A Day in the Life of the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed,” in which students in grades four through twelve work with local environmental professionals to collect water quality data from various sites across the watershed. The event allows children to see a snapshot of the life of the local watershed by measuring water temperature and transparency, levels of nitrate and dissolved oxygen, wildlife, and more.
“This program is a fun, hands-on way to teach children principles of biology and Earth science, while also encouraging them to be good stewards of our environment,” said Assemblymember Wallace. “Our waterways are absolutely key to the health of our environment, for us and wildlife alike. I’m grateful to the Friends of Reinstein Woods for organizing this program to help ensure that the next generation understands and appreciates the issues facing our local watershed.”
“Given Buffalo’s close proximately to one of the largest surface fresh water systems in the country, we know how important it is to educate future generations about caring for our local waterways and the environment,” said Terry Boyle, Friends of Reinstein Woods Board President. “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Wallace for securing these funds in support of this excellent program, A Day in the Life of the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed.”
Assemblymember Wallace is a dedicated proponent of education and environmental conservation, having worked to secure millions for the Town of Cheektowaga and Village of Depew to replace aging sewer infrastructure and reduce contamination in local waterways. She also helped pass a $3 billion, or 12 percent, increase in education funding in the 2021-22 budget and has secured millions in additional funding for local schools.