academy of environmental water technology (aewt)
DESCRIPTION
Heritage High School’s. Academy of Environmental Water Technology (AEWT). Somer Y. Sutton, Director and AEWT Lead Teacher. “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Academy of Environmental Water Technology (AEWT)
Heritage High School’s
Somer Y. Sutton, Director and AEWT Lead Teacher
“Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.”
from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Importance of Water Technology: Water Availability
Earth is a water planet: 71.4% of the earth is covered in water, However, only around 3% of it is fresh
(“drinkable”) water 2/3 of that 3% of fresh water is locked up
in permanent ice (glaciers, polar ice caps)This leaves only 1% of Earth’s water to quench the needs of 7 billion (+) peoples (!)
Drinking Water Operator
Drinking water operators are responsible for providing people with safe, clean (and palatable) water.
Drinking water operators are certified by state agencies and are employed local, state and federal entities (Army Corp of Engineers, military and civilian), private businesses, etc.
Water operations offer either a lifelong career opportunity or can act as a stepping stone to a large variety of environmental careers.
The Importance of Water Technology: The Workforce Need
Consider these conclusions from a recent Water Environment Research Foundation study: It is projected that in the next ten years,
37 percent of water utility workers and 31 percent of wastewater utility workers will retire
These are the people who manage and protect our precious supply of fresh water.
AEWT Addresses this Workforce Need
“Preparing the Next Generation of Environmental & Water Stewards”
AEWT focuses on an Environmental Water Technology course of study, leading to a student industry certification
Students can graduate high school with a Level C Water Operator Pre-licensure courses
AEWT Course of Study
Required Academy Course: Beginning Water Technology (10th grade) Intermediate Water Technology (11th grade) Advanced Water Technology (12th grade) Science Research (any year)
Electives: Marine Science/AICE Marine Science AICE Environmental Management
Senior year: Level C Water Operator State Test
The U.S. Department of Labor estimated that operators of water- and wastewater-treatment plants earned an average salary of $41,580 in 2009. (
http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/104723.html)
Career Directions
Water Technology
Soil science•Botanist•Farming/agriculture•Landscaping
Oceanic Science•Marine biologist•NOAA
Atmospheric Science•NOAA•Meteorology•Atmospheric chemistry
Land Use Management•Forestry•Environmental Conservation
•GPS/GIS
Resource Management•Alternative Fuel Sources•Technology Development
Stormwater Engineering•Public Utilities•Private firms•Design/Engineering
Average Salaries for Environmental Jobs
Senior Environmental Scientist Analyst $84,000 Scientist Clinical Lab $55,000 Coastal Resources Scientist $71,000 Interdiscplinary Scientist G $61,000 Environmental Scientist $56,000 NEPA Planner $67,000 Senior Environmental Scientist $66,000 Environmental Engineer Investigation Closure $72,000 City Research Scientist $65,000 Geologist Environmental Scientist $52,000 Physical Scientist G $83,000 Soil Scientist $70,000 Research Scientist Supervisor $83,000
(http://www.indeed.com/salary/Environmental-Scientist.html)
AEWT Features
3-4 year sequential CTE program
Voluntary open enrollment
Integrated academic & technical curriculum
Real world, hands-on field experience and research projects
Water and/or wastewater Level C pre-licensure courses
Postsecondary Dual Enrollment Credit
Paid student internship Industry Mentors Industry Guest Speakers Industry Sponsorships Summer
employment/research Partnership with Florida
Gateway College Employ Florida Water
Banner Center affiliation Engaged Advisory
Committee
AEWT Advisory Committee
Brevard Public Schools Florida Department of Environmental Protection
St. Johns River Water Management District Employ Florida Water Banner Center for Water Resources
City of Palm Bay Utilities & HR Departments City of Cocoa Utilities Department
City of Melbourne Utilities Department Florida Gateway College
Florida Institute of Technology: Civil Engineering Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program
Florida Rural Water Association Florida Section AWWA Ecospatial Analysts, Inc
321 Plumbing, Inc.
What kinds of activities do AEWT students do?
School-wide recycling initiative
Barrier Island Sancturay
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge
Mote Marine Laboratory
Unique Hands-On Experiences in the Classroom
Laptop computer lab in the classroom State-of-the-art laboratory in the classroom Industry-specific equipment Classroom river and aquifer models Soil, air and water quality field kits Solar panel construction Fresh/saltwater mini ecosystems
Coming soon: School garden Aquaponic growing systems Mini-river ecosystem working model
Unique Hands-On Experiences in the Classroom
Cross-connection/backflowmodel
Science Fair
Solar-powered, portable, UV disinfection device for water (funded by a $500 J.B. Butler Science Grant)
“Geobot” used to identify types of minerals in soil
Solar powered model vehicle A profile of native and non-native species in the
local watershed Environmentally-friendly pest control in
agriculture Using greywater in hydroponics Environmentally-friendly mosquito control
Additional Activities
Environmental Sustainability Club EnviroThon competition Energy Whiz competition Beach clean-ups Organic farming Stormwater Sedimentation and
Erosion Control Class
What are the benefits of an academy?
This promotes a family-like atmosphere and results in close student-teacher ties. A career academy includes the following essential
elements: ▪ A small learning community ▪ A college-prep curriculum with a career theme ▪ Partnerships with employers, the community, and higher
education By design, these three central elements of a
career academy lead to a curriculum that is rigorous, relevant, and relational.
(http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/careeracademies/ca_home.asp)