Rouge Education Project
The Rouge Education Project (REP) is school-based environmental education program involving elementary, middle, and high schools from across southeastern Michigan. Students learn about the Rouge River in their classroom, and then perform hands-on scientific exploration of the river on a field trip to its banks. They assess chemical, biological, and physical parameters of water quality to determine overall stream health, and report their results to Friends of the Rouge. Students are further encouraged to take action to restore and protect the river based on their results.
Our mission:
Promote awareness and stewardship of the Rouge River watershed through school-based water quality monitoring, investigation, and problem-solving.
Our primary goals are to:
(1) Provide opportunities for schools to engage students in hands-on, real-world science, through water quality monitoring of the Rouge River
(2) Increase participants’ awareness of the Rouge River watershed by showing them how they impact the river, and how its health impacts them
(3) Empower participants to apply knowledge and awareness gained through the Rouge Education Project to identify and address environmental issues in the Rouge River watershed and beyond.
The REP is coordinated and facilitated by Friends of the Rouge, who trains K-12 teachers how to monitor surface water quality through a series of workshops. Resources are provided to help them plan the Rouge River watershed unit and field trip in their classroom(s), along with monitoring equipment [with the availability of funding]. Friends of the Rouge also trains volunteers, our REP assistants, and pairs them with each classroom to assist during their field trip to the river.
In addition to Friends of the Rouge staff, guidance and support for the program comes from an Education Committee.
How do I volunteer?
Info for Current REP Schools
What have we found?
Current Rouge Education Project Schools
Spring Monitoring 2024
8 Schools
Coolidge Elementary School, Livonia
Crestwood High School, Dearborn Heights
Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills
Hope Christian Academy, Westland
The Roeper Lower School, Bloomfield Hills
Roosevelt High School, Wyandotte
Star International Academy, Canton
Steppingstone School, Plymouth
Fall Monitoring 2023
8 Schools
Clippert Academy, Detroit
Coolidge Elementary School, Livonia
Crestwood High School, Dearborn Heights
Farmington STEAM Academy, Farmington Hills
Hamtramck High School, Hamtramck
Hope Christian Academy, Westland
Steppingstone School, Plymouth
Troy High School, Troy
REP Project Contest
REP 2020 Fall Monitoring
REP 2020 Spring Monitoring
REP Online Learning
REP Artwork Contest Results
REP Artwork Contest
REP Student Surveys
REP Training Workshops
Education Committee
REP Monitoring Parameters
REP Monitoring Data Archive
REP Assistants Needed
REP Info for Schools
