Nine organizations receive state support to engage students in local water conservation efforts

Hampton, Virginia – Nine educational organizations across Virginia have been selected to receive a total of $250,000 in state grants for the 2025-26 school year through the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) program. The funding, provided by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), will support immersive environmental learning projects aimed at fostering deeper understanding of the Chesapeake Bay watershed among K-12 students.

The MWEE grants are administered annually by DCR’s Office of Environmental Education and are designed to provide students and educators with hands-on opportunities to explore and address issues related to local watershed health. According to DCR, these “learner-centered field investigations and action projects” are aligned with grade-level academic standards and are intended to build environmental literacy.

The selected recipients include:

• Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District – will work with middle school students and educators from Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock County Public Schools.

• Henrico County Public Schools – to serve students and teachers across the district.

• Horizons – will engage Portsmouth students in watershed education.

• James River Association – collaborating with Hampton City Public School students and educators.

• Maymont – partnering with Richmond City elementary school students and staff.

• Old Dominion University – teaming up with Prince William County Public School students and teachers.

• Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District – focusing specifically on educator engagement in the same county.

• Reston Association – involving local youth and educators in Reston, Virginia.

• The Clifton Institute – working with students in Fauquier County Public Schools.

“These MWEE projects are intended to encourage K-12 students to think critically about Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed and cultivate their environmental literacy,” DCR stated.

The initiative supports Virginia’s obligations under the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, which calls on states to increase “understanding of the watershed through participation in teacher-supported, meaningful watershed educational experiences and rigorous, inquiry-based instruction.”

Through the awarded funding, thousands of Virginia students will have the opportunity to explore their local environment, engage in real-world science, and take part in actions that support watershed restoration and protection.