Year-long experiential program connects high school students to aquatic science, STEM career pathways, and the future of the Ohio River
The Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) is proud to announce it has received a generous second consecutive grant from the Bosch Community Fund in support of the Ohio River Academy program, a year-long experiential STEM initiative designed to connect high school students in the Tristate area with aquatic science, river stewardship, and real-world career exploration.
The Ohio River Academy is a multi-faceted curriculum focused on the Ohio River and its 14-state watershed. The Academy is built on the belief that hands-on education and research opportunities empower students to protect watersheds. It is an immersive experience that allows students to monitor and assess environmental impacts on local streams by conducting chemical tests, performing habitat observations and by studying aquatic invertebrates. Students then build upon these concepts as they explore the Ohio River on-board a paddleboat, using instruments and techniques employed by ORSANCO scientist to assess big river systems.
Data collected through the Ohio River Academy will be stored on the ORSANCO website, where it can be accessed and used by educators within the Ohio River Basin. Students will use the data collected through the program to identify potential pollution issues within the watershed, and will develop a scientific research project or community service project to address one of those pollution issues.
A Full-Year Journey from Watershed to Workforce
What also sets the Ohio River Academy apart is its commitment to sustained connection. Unlike a single field trip or one-time classroom visit, the Academy is designed as a year-long mentoring relationship between students and FORE educators.
The Ohio River Academy is a new pilot initiative, but it’s built on a foundation of successful FORE programming. The Academy draws on some of FORE’s most established educational offerings, including FORE’s RiverREACH Riverboat Floating Classroom and River Watcher citizen science water monitoring programs, along with FORE’s connection with We Work the Waterways, an education organization that introduces students to maritime and environmental industry professionals, allowing them to explore career pathways in river monitoring, stewardship, and transportation. The Academy is able to combine these programming elements and provide a cohesive, year-long arc that gives students a more layered understanding of water quality, environmental science, and river careers than any single program could offer on its own.
Measuring What Matters
FORE will measure the program’s impact through pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys tracking student STEM knowledge, perceptions of the Ohio River, interest in environmental and river careers, and commitment to stewardship. FORE has decades of data showing that students who participate in river programming dramatically improve their view of the Ohio River’s health. All program activities align with state-wide environmental science curriculum standards, making it easy for teachers to integrate the Academy into existing coursework. Teachers will also receive professional development support through FORE’s “Train the Trainer” sessions and access to RiverREACH curriculum materials.
Bosch Community Fund Investment
The Bosch Community Fund is supporting initiatives that advance hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, environmental education, and career exploration, reaching more than 32,000 students and teachers across the area. These investments strengthen access to cutting-edge technology and experiential learning and create pathways from elementary classrooms to post-secondary careers in high-demand fields.
About FORE
The Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and Type III functionally integrated supporting organization of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), an interstate pollution control agency with authority to operate water quality programs for the Ohio River and its tributaries. FORE teaches people of all ages to become active stewards of the Ohio River Basin through hands-on programs that highlight the cultural, ecological, and economic importance of our shared waterways.