Applications must be submitted by May 4, 2023

Rivers2Lake, a dynamic education program that helps teachers integrate Lake Superior into curriculum, is accepting applications. To apply, visit Rivers2Lake. Applications must be submitted by May 4, 2023. Educators in any subject or grade level are eligible to participate.

Teachers participate in the Rivers2Lake Summer Institute from August 7 through 11, 2023, where they learn about Lake Superior and the St. Louis River from scientists, resource management agencies, and tribal experts, along with place-based and outdoor learning methods. During the year, education staff at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve in Superior, Wisconsin, provide support and co-teaching in Rivers2Lake classrooms each month. Staff help teachers find and create the resources they need to meet and exceed educational standards using “where they are” as an integrating context year-round.

With support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Rivers2Lake program offers benefits to teachers and schools. Funding covers bus transportation, on-water learning experiences, student admission to the Great Lakes Aquarium, a visit to the Lake Superior Estuarium, classroom resources, and an honorarium of $500 for successful participation. A multi-year evaluation of the Rivers2Lake program demonstrated that the program significantly increased student academic engagement and teacher confidence in using place-based learning.

A teacher in Rivers2Lake emphasized the impact and interdisciplinary nature of the program: “Hands-on, relevant, authentic outdoor education is engaging and meaningful. You can meet lots of different kinds of standards with this kind of learning, not just science standards. Learning about the environment around you (i.e. local, relevant to you) is a great way to make you feel like you’re actually a part of something important.” Another teacher celebrated that “taking my class outside has not only offered great learning experiences, but the relationships with my students are so much deeper and stronger.” Teachers in the St. Louis River watershed or Wisconsin’s Lake Superior basin can apply for Rivers2Lake to start or strengthen their outdoor or place-based teaching practices.