Learn about positive sustainability trends in the 13 school districts and 27 cities of the greater Cedar River-Lake Washington Watershed at the Nov. 18 screening of The Watershed Report, an award-winning series of short films narrated by local high school students.
The event is hosted by the Mercer Island School District, the City of Mercer Island, Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, the Green Ribbon Commission and IslandVision. The Nov. 18 screening of the Watershed Report will take place at 7 p.m. at the Mercer Island High School library. The series of short films is narrated entirely by high school students. Tyler Loughran, a Mercer Island High School junior, understands her role in civic engagement.
“I know that the environment will not fix itself. It’s not something to just sweep under the rug,” she said. “I got involved in the Watershed Report because it’s about raising awareness, taking action and measuring progress.”
Under the direction of Peter Donaldson, longtime Island resident and former MISD teacher, 22 student leaders representing five of the 13 school districts within the watershed, collaborate with professionals to produce an annually updated series of short video reports. The films track sustainability trends across multiple sectors, including school districts, city government, habitat restoration and storm water pollution.
“I participate in the Watershed Report because it allows me to dynamically combine my passions for public speaking, sustainability and politics,” said Chris Hall, a senior at MIHS.
Piloted in 2009, the Watershed Report is a far-reaching strategic initiative from the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, a nonprofit that engages thousands of volunteers in habitat restoration throughout the watershed.
Last June in Seattle, at the premiere screening, the Watershed Report received a standing ovation from a packed crowd of 150 community leaders. On Aug. 17 of this year, students traveled to Ecotrust headquarters in Portland, Ore., to receive an award for watershed filmmaking.
The event is free, but RSVP can be sent to Rebecca Sayre at rebecca@cedarriver.org.
For more information, visit the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed Web site or call the Friends of the Cedar River at (206) 297-8141.
