Wetlands Discovery Center scientists win Education Outreach Award

Congratulations to Samantha Hicks, Sarah Fontana, and Jonathan Foret of the Southern Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center for being presented with the 2022 Education Outreach Award from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)!

“The UCAR Award for Education Outreach is given to recognize significant influence or impact on scientific thought in the UCAR community or society in general,” Program Director and award recipient Samantha Hicks told the Houma Times. “We have worked with UCAR on several grant projects including our two high school curricula, Project Resilience and Hurricane Resilience. These two curricula are currently being taught in the Environmental Science classes in Terrebonne Parish public high schools.”

Not only do Hicks, Foret, and Fontana work to create and implement curricula, but they also run many educational programs to help educate local students of all ages on the changing landscape of local wetlands. “These programs include our Coastal Classroom and Swamp Camp programs, which allow students to explore our coastal wetlands both in and out of the classroom,” said Hicks. “Coastal Classroom provides interactive, science-standard-aligned lessons for elementary, middle, and junior high classes. Swamp Camp is our annual summer camp and educates students on the basics of Louisiana’s wetlands and the importance of the coast’s industries using daily field trips and activities.” 

Hicks plans to continue offering valuable educational experiences and opportunities for the students of Terrebonne and surrounding Parishes through the Wetlands Discovery Center. “It is a great honor to have our work recognized by this award,” said Hicks. “We want to help students plan for a more resilient future.”

To learn more about Southern Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center and their work, visit their website at www.slwdc.org or call (985) 580-7289.