City of Austin Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo presented a proclamation April 24 to recognize the Clean Creek Campus' accomplishments and Hill Elementary School's student service project.

Students and teachers were presented with a Clean Creek Campus banner to recognize their commitment to protecting Austin's environment.

“This program is important because students get to experience a real-world connection to the science they are learning in the classroom,” said Hill Elementary School Principal Beth Newton. “Students then participate in service learning projects where they can make a difference in the environmental landscape of Austin.”

Fifty students collected litter in Northwest District Park, 7000 Ardath St., and explored the grounds. Through these activities, students learned about the local watershed and ran a hands-on simulation of how invasive and native plants compete for resources. This was followed by rolling and tossing seed balls and exploring the on-site pond for macro-invertebrates and clues to the health of the water.

Clean Creek Campus, a partnership program of Keep Austin Beautiful and the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department, is celebrating 10 years of fostering student stewardship of natural resources. Since 2005, the program has led 2,000 presentations to educate 16,000 youth to learn about watersheds, litter, urban ecology and earthwise gardening. The award-winning program models long-term public-private partnerships.

Hill Elementary School has participated in the program for six years. 

For more information, please contact Keep Austin Beautiful Director Monica Lopez Magee at (512) 391-0617, ext. 703 or monica@keepaustinbeautiful.org.