FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
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INSIDE THE OUTDOORS YEAR END RECAP
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GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and File the Inside the Outdoors Annual Recap Report.
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BACKGROUND
Each year, the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) invites the Orange County Department of Education, Inside the Outdoors (ITO) to present a year-end recap of our joint environmental education outreach program. OC San originally entered into a contract with ITO in March 2015 to enhance our environmental education outreach to students in elementary and high school. The program met the California State Standards and focused on a variety of topics including water, wastewater treatment, and environmental science.
In 2021, based on the desire to have a program that is OC San centric, staff and ITO worked together to update and create a new wastewater focused program.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
• Make it easy for people to understand OC San’s roles and value to the community
PROBLEM
Without this type of program, students may not have the opportunity to explore wastewater treatment and expand their knowledge, understanding, and stewardship of the environment.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
By providing this educational program, students learn about basic wastewater treatment concepts and how our daily actions could impact the sewer system and the environment. Additionally, students learn about the various roles we have in wastewater treatment through virtual interactive lab activities and virtual tours of Plant No.1.
TIMING CONCERNS
N/A
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
If we do not educate the students, community, local agencies, and area businesses about OC San and the work we do, we may not have the support necessary to deliver our mission. In addition, by having early education programs, students are exposed to various wastewater careers.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
February 2015 - Approved a Cooperative Agreement with Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) for Educational Services with Inside the Outdoors through June 30, 2015, for an amount not to exceed $11,065, with four one-year renewal options at an amount not to exceed $24,365 per renewal year.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In 2020-2021, staff and ITO worked together to create a new program that focused on the wastewater industry. This was a one-year pilot program not to exceed $27,508 to serve as a trial for a future program with three annual options for renewal.
In 2021-2022, staff continued with the contract and during the pandemic ITO switched their methodology from in-person to virtual. A total of 755 students were reached through 27 virtual programs: 575 elementary students and 180 middle/high school students. Most of the participating schools are in Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Tustin.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
N/A
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov) with the complete agenda package:
• OC San Inside the Outdoors Annual Report 2021-22
• Presentation