People Protecting the Lake
Since 1885.
Lake George
Association – P.O. Box 408 – Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-3558 – Fax
(518) 668-4702 – www.lakegeorgeassociation.org
June 30, 2009
For
Immediate Release
Contact: James Hood
Communications Coordinator
Lake George Association
Phone: (518) 668-3558
GRANTS AWARDED TO LGA FLOATING CLASSROOM
Lake George, NY – The Lake George Association (LGA) has recently been awarded two grants for the conservation group’s popular Floating Classroom program. The grant awards totaled more than $16,000.
International Paper Foundation in Ticonderoga awarded the LGA a grant of $2,760 for the purchase of new water samplers. The LGA was able to acquire enough of these educational tools to cover a full-sized class trip.
The Claneil Foundation awarded the LGA a grant of $14,000, which will help cover some of the cost the LGA assumed in purchasing their new Floating Classroom boat, a 40’ Corinthian Catamaran named the “Rosalia Anna Ashby.” This new vessel is the key piece in getting the LGA’s high-profile program back out on the waters of Lake George where it belongs.
“We are truly grateful for these grant awards,” said Walt Lender, LGA Executive Director. “The generosity of the Claneil and International Paper Foundations, along with several private donations, is a real testament to the value of the Floating Classroom in instilling a sense of stewardship in our next generation.”
The award-winning Floating Classroom is central to the mission of the Lake George Association, and a core element of its educational program. The program provides a stirring, enlightening experience to over 1,000 area school children annually, teaching them about the Lake George ecosystem.
When it was implemented in 1991, the LGA’s Floating Classroom was a pioneer demonstration program. It remains unique as an on-lake, hands-on educational experience.
“For many local school districts, the Floating Classroom is a must-do annual trip,” said Emily DeBolt, LGA Education and Outreach Coordinator. “It fulfills part of their science curriculum.”
Though targeted for middle school students in Grades 6-8, the program has expanded and adapted to take out high school and elementary classes.
The standard field trip consists of two parts: one on the water and one on the land. These provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how a watershed works and how land-based activities affect water quality.
During the on-water portion of the trip, the LGA Educator gives a brief geological history of the formation of the lake and the watershed.
After noting physical features, students measure water transparency through a secchi disk reading. Factors affecting the clarity of the water are discussed. Transparency readings are compared to Carlson’s Trophic State Index.
Students then discover and identify phytoplankton and zooplankton, and discuss why they are important to the health of the lake.
Using water samplers, students test the water at different depths to measure water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen levels.
The LGA is a not-for-profit membership organization of
people interested in working together to protect, conserve, and improve the
beauty and quality of the Lake George Basin. For more information, contact the
LGA at (518) 668-3558 or check out LGA on the web at www.lakegeorgeassociation.org.
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