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O 0., .'" C~ , . .luU't student log entries. An active e-mail link will be available on the web site to allow people to ask questions and discuss the issues with the students. For those who stick to conventional forms of communication, the group plans to call in a daily progress report to the local public radio station and newspaper in Harrisonburg. The group also hopes to work with the local ABC station and other ABC affiliates around the country to air some video of the trip to those back home. Our Environment, Coast-to-Coast (continued) Costs Versus Benefits The month-long, high-mileage trip will cost an estimated $69,000, which includes food, lodging, camping fees, bus transportation, technology costs, rafting fees, entrance fees, staff stipends, and educational fees. Because Coast-to-Coast is considered a field trip, students are covered under school insurance, and no additional insurance is required. Students are asked to pay a little over $1,000 each, much of which will be raised through fundraisers conducted this spring. Trip organizers have already begun soliciting local donations and writing grant applications to offset the remaining $45,000 in expenses. Myron Blosser, Biology/Molecular Genetics teacher, is leading the fundraising efforts. "The support we received from our community in 1998 was tremendous," she said. "We raised $35,000, with donations ranging from $25 to $4,000. Although it was a lot of work going to the community, the benefits were tremendous. It made our nip more special knowing that our community was behind us." The upcoming nip has a higher price tag than the 1998 nip because it includes additional recreational and research opportunities for the students. Therefore, trip leaders are seeking grant money to supplement local donations. Nevertheless, the cost of the trip is easily outweighed by the educational benefits realized by the students. "Students will rub shoulders with the scientists who are collecting the data and tackling the problems. They'll gain a new perspective and focus. In fact, the hands-on experiences provided by Coast-to-Coast might affect the way some students view the remainder of their schooling. A few students from the 1998 trip have transferred from one college to another because they were unhappy with the lack of hands-on learning experiences that were available," noted Sensenig. Although he knows it might sound difficult, Sensenig emphasized that "many schools are beginning to experiment more with making learning more real-world. Other educators can easily incorporate this approach into their teaching - this is not radical by nature. You don't have to travel across the country. If you can make the issue relevant, the students will teach themselves. " [For more information, contact either Ryan Sensenig (itinerary and curriculum) or Myron Blosser (fundraising) at Harrisonburg High School, 395 South High Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Phone: (540) 434-4923; e-mail: cst2cst@shentel.net; web site: http://harrisonburg.k12.va.us/c2c2k.j Livin' La Agua Pura - Educating the Latino Community About Clean Water Ricky Martin isn't the only Latino nend that's revving up teenagers lately. In Santa Barbara, California, a new effort to educate the Latino community on water quality issues has Latino youth leaders learning ways to get their friends and families involved in watershed protection. The University of Wisconsin's Cooperative Extension Environmental Resources Center (ERC), in Madison, Wisconsin, works to educate young people about water issues nationwide. The ERe recently conducted a workshop targeted at addressing the watershed education needs of the underserved Latino youth community in Santa Barbara. "Underserved members of our communities are often most affected by water-related health risks," explained Molly Thompson, coordinator for the ERe's Give Water a Hand program. 22 NONPOINT SOURCE NEWS-NOTES MARCH 2OOO,ISSUE '60