Educational leaders from the length of the Merced River watershed convened to form the Merced River Educational Leadership Advisory team (MRELATE).

The participants have been school principals and administrators, teachers, youth leaders and involved community members.

MRELATE works toward the ideal state of education, especially as it relates to

Place-based learning.

Cindy Lashbrook works with student at restoration project at the Merced Wildlife Refuge

Terry McLaughlin demonstrates a groundwater model

A few of the ideals that emerged from MRELATE are:

• Provide students with more access to place-based and service learning

• Value direct experience. Students are more likely to retain knowledge gained by doing rather than reading.

• Budget transportation, prep time, and release time

• Build collegiality.  Integrating more people from diverse backgrounds will increase inspiration exponentially.

• Reach out across disciplines, collaborate among/between disciplines

• Encourage more student-to-student mentoring

• Grade students on what they are good at, not what they are bad at

• Share grants between districts

• Provide opportunities to bring families into the picture.

• More activities beyond math and the basics

• Help students realistically explore career aspects

If you know an education leader interested in participating in future MRELATE meetings,

contact the Merced River Alliance Education Coordinators, Terry McLaughlin at watershed@sti.net or 209-966-2221, or Cindy Lashbrook at (209) 761-0081 or foursea@clearwire.net..

Click here to view more photos of

Alliance/student education