Objective 2.1: Water Conservation/pollution prevention
Planting and Streambed Creation in courtyard
The Anacostia Watershed Society installed a dry streambed in the Nicholas Orem courtyard in the Summer of 2014 to slow down excess roof runoff not taken in by cisterns (see below) on it's way to the storm drain in the center of the courtyard. Summer students installed plants with large root systems to soak up the water from the streambed and the rain, which will reduce the amount of polluted water entering local waterways.
Cisterns
Summer school students helped the Anacostia Watershed Society install two cisterns into the courtyard in 2014. An AWS landscape architect spoke with the students about the importance of cisterns in catching stormwater runoff from the school's roof, then showed them how to properly put it together. Students measured PVC pipe, cut pipe, and helped glue pieces together to create the working cisterns that are in the courtyard today.
Storm Drain Murals
In October of 2014, two of Mrs. Suarez's 8th grade art classes collaborated with local artists in painting local storm drains around Nicholas Orem. The ten murals completed by the students beautify the community while reminding people of the storm drains' connection to local waterways.