The Snyder County Conservation District is continually involved in environmental education and conservation promotion of Snyder County residents of all ages. Listed below are some of the programs and events the Conservation District has either sponsored, hosted or worked alongside others recently in regards to young people.

For adult environmental education, go to our Meetings & Workshops web page. Go to our Envirothon web page for information about the local, state and Canon contests.

The Conservation District staff presented twenty-one 1-hour presentations over a three days in October 2010 for fifth grade students at Camp Mount Luther, west of Mifflinburg, PA. The outdoor education program was part of the Midd-West School District’s Outdoor Education program held annually for their 5th grade students. Each student had the opportunity to make his/her own soil profile tube. Staff members also demonstrated water quality, watershed and land use issues with the students.

Go to our "Education & Youth Downloads" (on the right hand side of this web page) for more details and photographs regarding this event.

The Conservation District has given other presentations in schools and to school age groups over the years. For example:

• Richfield Cub Scouts were given seed packets and given a demonstration with the Enviroscape(R) in March 2009. Other Boy Scout groups had heard presentations regarding water and soils in the past.
• In November 2011, Jason Winey, SCCD Watershed Specialist, gave several presentations to approximately 150 6th graders at the Middleburg Middle School.
• Several presentations were given by SCCD staff members during the West Snyder Middle School's Conservation Day activities for 7th and 8th graders related to soils, water and watersheds in 2011. A separate water presentation has been given to West Snyder 5th graders almost every year since 2001. (Check out our 2011 presentations recap under "Education & Youth Downloads.")
• In years past, Future Hope Homelearners and Selinsgrove Area High School agriculture students received training on how to use USDA county soil surveys in preparation to the Susquehanna Valley Envirothon.
• In August 2009, the SCCD was one of several organizations that held demonstrations at the AG-SCItement Day event sponsored by the Snyder County 4-H and Penn State Cooperative Extension.
• In May and April 2010, two SCCD staff members helped teach how composting works by leaving a worm composter with Perry-West Perry second graders.
• Scout leaders invited two SCCD staff members to talk about stormwater management, soil erosion and formation, water quality and the water cycle and types of pollution during a campout in 2011.

Recently, the Snyder County Conservation District has sponsored a poster contest in which elementary and middle school aged students create posters promoting conservation and environmental stewardship.

In 2011, Middleburg Middle School sixth graders from Mr. Kurt Sprenkel's science classes participated in the SCCD sponsored event. Go to the 2011 Poster Contest link in the "Education & Youth Downloads" section for details.

If you would like more information about this contest or would like to know how your school can participate, contact Jason Winey, our Watershed Specialist, at 570-837-3000, x112.

The Snyder County Conservation District debuted its "Soil Tunnel" at the Kid's Grove Fall Festival held in Selinsgrove on October 2008. An estimated 300 children visited the "Soil Tunnel" that day. The "Soil Tunnel" teaches the basics and importance of our soils while crawling "under the soil surface" in a "tunnel" made by the Conservation District.

The "Soil Tunnel" has been used in other events as well. Much of the materials were donated by local businesses (A list can be found under our "Education & Youth Downloads" section). Thank you local businesses!

Check out the pictures on the Soil Tunnel link at the "Education & Youth Downloads." For more information, contact our Watershed Specialist, Jason Winey, at 570-837-3000, x112.

SCCD offers scholarships/award monies to local high school students within the county interested in conservation. Contact the Conservation District at 570-837-3000 or your high school for more information. (For the list of 2011 winners, click on High School Seniors Receive Conservation Awards under "Education and Youth Downloads" section.

Every year, the Snyder County Conservation District honors Snyder County FFA members who participate in three SUN Area FFA contests. FFA members from Midd-West and Selinsgrove Chapters compete in SUN Area contests against other FFA members from Northumberland and Union Counties.

Traditionally, the Conservation District presents the top three Snyder County FFA members in each contest with a check and a certificate in the following contests: conservation public speaking, forestry and land judging. The conservation public speaking contest was held on March 2010, while the forestry and land judging contests were held on October 2010. Awards and certificates were given during the Annual Awards Banquet on March 2011. Check out the Awards Banquet Notice in the "Education & Youth Downloads" section on this web page for details.