1. Screen to Stream - helping student citizen scientists
explore local watersheds online & outdoors
Pete Smyntek, Beth Bollinger, Angela Belli, Cynthia Martincic,
Maria Franey, Sarah Kayda, Cameron Ekiert

2. Pete Smyntek – Assistant Professor
@ Saint Vincent College
Environmental chemist  water quality,
aquatic ecosystems & environmental change
• Pollutant interactions: abandoned
mine drainage & wastewater

3. Overview
• Background: issues affecting stream health
• The challenge: knowledge, tools & people
• Our approach: online & field resources, training &
support in collaboration with partners
• Your ideas, experiences, suggestions, feedback

4. Legacy Problem: AMD
• Acid mine drainage (AMD) – low pH & high toxic metal
concentrations (ex. Aluminum)
• Widespread, chronic impact on water quality
• Affects > 2500 miles of rivers & streams in
Pennsylvania alone

5. Current Problems: Nutrients, Sediment,
Pathogens
• Municipal wastewater, sewer overflows: nutrients, pathogens &
organic carbon
• Agricultural run-off & stream bank erosion: nutrients, sediment
 loss of fish & macroinvertebrate habitat

6. Challenge: Knowledge  stream health & function
 recognize problems
Make observations & collect data

7. Challenge: Knowledge  recognize the problem
What’s wrong in this stream?

8. Challenge: Knowledge  recognize the problem
What’s wrong in this stream?
Aluminum  precipitation visible

9. Challenge: Tools  funds needed

10. Challenge: People (volunteers/citizen scientists)
“After years of success
in cleaning up the Kiski
and Conemaugh rivers
and other waterways,
pollution treatment
systems are failing and
fewer volunteers are
working to maintain
them — and this is
starting to turn back the
progress made…”

11. Our Approach
• Provide online & field resources for teachers & students
• Flexible lesson options linked to PA educational standards
• Broad range of topics related to stream health & function
• Accessible materials for use in class & at home
• Support for teachers  St. Vincent College student interns
• Collaboration with partners  watershed organizations &
conservation groups

12. Environmental
Education Grant
Collaboration with partners:
Loyalhanna Watershed Association,
Conemaugh Valley Conservancy,
Local School Districts
- Applied for DEP EE Grant in December 2016
- Project launched August/September 2017

13. Tools/equipment provided:
• Leaf Pack Stream Ecology Lab
Activity
• Dissolved oxygen meter
• pH/Temp/Conductivity/Total
Dissolved Solids tester & calibration
solutions
• iPad Mini with apps (Creek Critters,
Aqua Bugs):
• Macro lens for iPads
• Aquatic D Frame Net (1200 mm mesh)

14. Training & support:
• Teaching development materials
• Grade specific lessons & activities
tied to PA Educational Curriculum
Standards
• Saint Vincent College student interns
• Stream game &
animations
• Teacher training workshop

16. Curriculum Materials  Linked to PA Education Standards
Model My Watershed
https://app.wikiwatershed.org/

17. How does a passive wetlands treatment system work?

19. Monastery Run Improvement Project – Passive Wetlands
System at Saint Vincent College

20. Stream Game - http://cis2.stvincent.edu/kaydas/SP-4-2018/watershed-game.html

21. Stream Game - http://cis2.stvincent.edu/kaydas/SP-4-2018/watershed-game.html

22. Summary
- Need to address stream health issues: AMD, nutrients, etc.
- Challenges: Knowledge, Tools, People
- Approach: online & field resources, training & support in
collaboration with partners

23. Questions/request for feedback
- How can this type of program be sustained?
- Your experience: what’s worked well/not so well?
- Existing online resources to share with teachers?
- Other ideas or suggestions?

24. Acknowledgements
Saint Vincent College Faculty: Cindy Walter, Steve
Jodis, Jean Keene
Saint Vincent College Students: Ashley Zolocsik, Greg
Bizup & Casey Markle
PA DEP & the Environmental Education Grant Program

25. Screen to Stream is a new PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)-funded
environmental education initiative by Saint Vincent College and the Winnie Palmer
Nature Reserve in partnership with the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, the
Conemaugh Valley Conservancy and regional school districts. This project aims to
develop an aquatic ecosystem exploration program comprised of an interactive
virtual learning lab, mobile apps and practical lessons with accompanying teacher
development materials for students in grades 3-12. Students will learn how to be
citizen scientists and assess the health of local streams by observing key biological
and chemical indicators of common water quality problems in Pennsylvania.
Engaging programs on abandoned mine drainage and other water quality issues,
such as Goodbye Orange Water and Nature Interrupted, that were previously
developed with PA-DEP grants will be made accessible through an interactive virtual
learning lab. These interactive materials will introduce children to science concepts
such as watershed geology, chemistry, ecology and environmental stewardship and
inspire them to explore their local watersheds and become citizen scientists. A draft
of the Screen to Stream website and associated learning materials are being
developed, and feedback from water quality researchers and environmental
educators would be greatly appreciated.

26. Challenge: Knowledge  recognize the problem
But resources — that is,
volunteers and money
— responsible for
turning the often lifeless
orange-stained waters
into kayaking
destinations aren't
standing at the ready as
they were a decade or
so ago, Reckner said.
“We need fresh ideas and new blood,” Linkes said. “I'm not getting any younger at 66.
“I'm a child of the '60s and everybody cared about the environment, but more families are doing
their own things and there's been a lack of interest from the younger crowd.”
People are busier these days and retiring later, he said, but efforts need to be ramped up to find
people who have time and “want to do something for their community, even if they give a little
bit.”
“No doubt we have come
a long way, but we are at
a tipping point if we don't
maintain the existing
(acid mine drainage)
treatment systems,” said
Melissa Reckner, Kiski-
Conemaugh Stream Team
director and author of
the study. - State of the
Kiski-Conemaugh River
Watershed: Community
Shift report

27. Screen to Stream - helping student citizen scientists
explore local watersheds online & outdoors
=
Pete Smyntek, Beth Bollinger, Angela Belli, Cynthia Martincic,
Maria Franey, Sarah Kayda, Cameron Ekiert

28. Screen to Stream - helping student citizen scientists
explore local watersheds online & outdoors
Pete Smyntek, Beth Bollinger, Angela Belli, Cynthia Martincic,
Maria Franey, Sarah Kayda, Cameron Ekiert