During the 2025 program year, the Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) and the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) partnered to deliver a robust, multi-state education and outreach season focused on Ohio River water quality, watershed stewardship, and environmental career pathways.
From February through December, FORE and ORSANCO hosted more than 80 education and outreach engagements across six states—Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Tennessee—reaching more than 41,000 participants. Programs served a wide range of audiences, including K–12 and college students, educators, families, community members, and environmental professionals.
Programming included hands-on classroom and field-based learning, large public festivals and community events, educator professional development, citizen science trainings, and workforce exploration opportunities. Signature initiatives such as the RiverREACH floating classroom and canoe programs, the Life Below the Waterline mobile aquarium, and regional water festivals and watershed collaborations provided immersive, place-based experiences on and along the Ohio River.
The Life Below the Waterline mobile aquarium alone engaged thousands of participants at Earth Day celebrations, water and river festivals, and other large public events. Featuring 8–20 native fish species at each stop, the aquarium helped connect communities with Ohio River biodiversity—often reaching audiences with limited access to hands-on aquatic science experiences.
Equitable access remained a priority throughout the season, with many programs offered at no cost to schools and communities, including high-need and underserved populations. Program delivery relied on strong partnerships with school districts, park systems, conservation organizations, universities, watershed groups, and government agencies throughout the basin.
Together, FORE and ORSANCO’s 2025 education and outreach efforts demonstrated the power of basin-wide, science-based programming to translate complex water quality information into engaging learning experiences and inspire the next generation of Ohio River stewards.