Martha Narvaez, lead policy scientist at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) and associate director of the UD’s Water Resources Center (UDWRC), was recently featured in a video on WITN Channel 22 news for her work with the city of Wilmington’s youth. In collaboration with UDWRC, Delaware Nature Society and First State Montessori Academy (FSMA), The Green Trailblazers program provides Wilmington students with hands-on environmental education. This after-school club, comprised of 15 seventh- and eighth-graders, explores local natural spaces, learns about pressing environmental issues and engages in conservation activities. Each month, students walk from FSMA to the DuPont Environmental Education Center, where they participate in activities such as invasive species removal and water seining in the Christina River. The program emphasizes the impact of litter on local water systems and teaches students how to protect and restore the environment. Through this initiative, students actively contribute to preserving Southbridge Wilmington Wetlands Park, a once-contaminated area now restored for public use. Their work fosters a greater understanding of environmental responsibility and strengthens their connection to the community. The entire segment can be viewed here.

Originally posted in UDaily's For the Record​​.​​​