Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County and SUNY ESF are leading a series of education programs about Onondaga Creek in the community. The education programs increase public awareness of Onondaga Creek. In turn, a well-informed public can effectively participate in the revitalization vision for Onondaga Creek.

Onondaga Creek educational pilot program at Blodgett School

Approximately 80 middle school kids from Blodgett School participated in a pilot program focused on Onondaga Creek. These sessions, an integral part of their science classes, used Onondaga Creek as a case study to review the relationship between humans and the environment in an urban setting.

Jessica Kuaffman, a science teacher at Blodgett, conducted the classes and helped develop this pilot program by integrating the main parameters of the State Curricula to the information about Onondaga Creek. The sessions run for 4 weeks, with 2 sessions per week, to all middle graders. The sessions were divided as follows: 1. Introduction to point source and non-point source pollution 2. History of Onondaga Creek 3. State of Onondaga Creek 4. Previous restoration experiences 5. Research project

The sessions included in-class interactive activities were aimed at developing in the students the importance of looking at water systems in an integral way, not as individual parts. The students also watched avideo of the South Platte River that sparked their curiosity about the possibilities of improving Onondaga Creek and what could it mean for them and the place they live. A short trip to Armory Square represented the first contact for some of the students with Onondaga Creek. Finally, the program concluded with a research project focused on previous restoration efforts and the possibilities of improving the creek.

Local Students Help Stencil Storm Drains Along Onondaga Creek

" I learned why its important not to throw my trash down on the ground because it could get right into the water and hurt the fish and other animals." Merajah Whitehead, sixth grader at Clary Middle School

Eleven Clary Middle School students from the after-school program participated in a service-learning project that complimented their study on "Mud and Muck" of Onondaga Creek. Cornell Cooperative Extension educators offered a two-part program for the students that included hands-on learning activities about watersheds and non-point source pollution, as well as the impacts of stormwater runoff on waterways such as Onondaga Creek. On May 9th , the students and their teacher, Susan Savion, worked to stencil the stormdrains on West Cheltenham Road with the message "DUMP NO WASTE: DRAINS TO CREEK" and distribute informational flyers to nearby residences.

A few weeks later, students from the Dunbar Center of Syracuse participated in a 2-part field trip with Cornell Cooperative Extension to learn about stormwater pollution and its impact on Onondaga Creek. The first field trip brought students to the Inner Harbor, where the students observed the various types of trash that is carried by the creek. Next, the students worked to raise awareness about the street-creek connection by stenciling the stormdrains along Onondaga Creek Boulevard, which runs adjacent to the creek by Kirk Park.

Presentation about Onondaga Creek Offered to Community Groups

Ever wonder about the natural, cultural and economic forces that have shaped Onondaga Creek or what it could look like in the future? You are not alone. As part of the Onondaga Creek Revitilazation Project, Cornell Cooperative Extension has offered the talk "Onondaga Creek: A Glimpse of the Past,
Present and Future" to interested community groups. Currently scheduled presentations include: If you are interested in attending one of the scheduled events, contact Amy Samuels, 424-9485 x233

Amy Samuels
Extension Team Leader
Natural Resources

Cornell Cooperative Extension, Onondaga County
220 Herald Place, 2nd Floor
Syracuse, NY 13202
315 424-9485 X233
315 424-7056 fax