2012 Oregon Research Annual Report: EDA Grant to Sustain UO’s Lasting Rural Economic Development Efforts

“Our goal is to build the capacity in communities to set strong, forward-looking policies.”

The UO’s EDAC (Economic Development Administration Center) is one of several service portals of the Community Service Center and has a long list of completed projects. It is involved in impact analyses of the Latino business community and the snow-ski industry across the state, as well as the development of a comprehensive business strategy for the Cow Creek band of the Umpqua tribe. Other initiatives include a review of water quality issues in Turner, Oregon, and an evaluation of the Eugene Water and Electric Board’s pilot program for smart meters.

 

Creswell’s Fourth Annual Earth Day Celebration / Friday, April 19th 2013

Creswell’s Fourth Annual Earth Day Celebration / Friday, April 19th 2013

In collaboration with the Creswell School District, the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council, and a number of other committed partners, the City of Creswell will host the fourth annual Earth Day Celebration in Garden Lake Park on Friday, April 19th 2013.

Building on the success of last year’s event, more than 300 students from Creslane Elementary and Creswell Middle School are expected to attend the fourth annual Earth Day Celebration. Educational activities will be geared toward elementary school students (3rd through 7th graders), with high school students assisting in the leadership of several activities.

During the Celebration, students will participate in a number of active learning stations including: nature walks with the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council, stream velocity measurement with Creswell High School volunteers, trail building, a recycled materials sculpture contest and much more. Additional attractions include live birds from the Cascades Raptor Center, an electric car demonstration by Electrathon America and the Department of Environmental Quality’s Wheel of Waste Reduction. Students will move through activities on a rotating basis, spending about 25 minutes at each station.

Earth Day is a valuable opportunity which provides Creswell youth with meaningful learning opportunities while raising awareness about environmental issues to foster the development of responsible stewards of our planet. This being the case, we have set goals for this year’s celebration to ensure that we are meeting and exceeding state educational standards for science education. The planned activities will be fun and entertaining, while remaining focused on specific aspects of scientific inquiry and environmental awareness.

Broadly speaking, activities provided at the Earth Day Celebration will educate students on one or more of the following topics:

  •  Scientific Inquiry
  • Scientific Method
  • Formulation of questions and hypotheses
  • Observation
  • Analysis of scientific data
  • Deductive reasoning
  • Environmental themes:
  • Geography
  • Habitats, plants, animals, and nutrient cycling
  • Salmon life cycle education is a specific example
  • Sustainability
  • Stewardship

This special community event is made possible each year through the hard work and dedication of more than 80 volunteers, without whom none of this would be possible. This year’s Earth Day Celebration will be held on April 19th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Garden Lake Park located at 396 Melton Road, Creswell OR, 97426.