{"id":1970,"date":"2012-07-23T14:28:20","date_gmt":"2012-07-23T14:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bolincreek.org\/blog\/?page_id=1970"},"modified":"2017-10-25T16:15:32","modified_gmt":"2017-10-25T16:15:32","slug":"chapel-hill-high-school-water-sustainability-initiative","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bolincreek.org\/blog\/news-releases-2\/chapel-hill-high-school-water-sustainability-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapel Hill High School Water Sustainability Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Vision: <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span>Students, teachers, community volunteers, and university and town experts will collaborate to enact a water sustainability campaign at Chapel Hill High School. Our \u201cAction Team\u201d will reduce the school\u2019s water footprint and improve water quality in the campus stream. While implementing the earth and environmental science core curriculum, this initiative will develop mentoring relationships for students and forge bonds with the community through hands-on campus projects such as constructing a comprehensive hydrology lab, monitoring and cleaning up the campus stream, building a rain garden to purify stormwater, and identifying vital future improvements.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Issue: <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span>CHHS, built in 1966, has an excessive water footprint. Not only is water is used inefficiently by our school, but the altered manner in which water flows through our campus results in flooding and mold in our school buildings. Our grounds host a headwater stream in the Cape Fear watershed which has become degraded through the school\u2019s impact. H<\/span><\/span>igh volumes of polluted runoff from the school enter the campus stream each rainstorm, adding to the impairment of Bolin Creek and Jordan Lake and impeding groundwater recharge.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We are in a unique position to spread understanding of these issues while creating an engaging hydrology curriculum aligned with the Common Core Standards. Additionally, our initiative will improve water quality in our stream, reduce flooding, mold, and maintenance costs, reduce runoff and improve infiltration of stormwater, and enhance the beauty of our campus. By addressing water sustainability throughout the campus, we will engage many current and future students and create numerous collaborations with the community.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Team:<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span> a true collaboration among students, teachers, administrators, university experts, private companies and community members including:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Chapel Hill High School Teachers, Rob Greenberg
\nThe Green Tigers, Anna Li
\nCHHS Earth and Environmental Science Classes, Rob Greenberg
\nFriends of Bolin Creek, Julie McClintock
\nCarolina Center for Educational Excellence, Betsy Kempter
\nTown of Chapel Hill Division of Stormwater, Wendy Smith
\nNC State University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Greg Jennings
\nNC Cooperative Extension, Mitch Woodward
\nThe Redwoods Group, Tyler Bench
\nUNC Institute for the Environment, Michele Drostin
\nWatershed Education for Communities and Officials, Patrick Beggs and Christy Perrin<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Actions: <\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span>Projects will include: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n