Youth Champion
Emma Montroy, a student at Jenkintown High School, went around her neighborhood in Jenkintown marking storm drains. She marked the storm drains with the new markers created by the Philadelphia Water Department in an effort that aims to connect communities to their creeks and create an awareness for their potential impact on local waterways. Over an 8 hour period, Emma marked a total of 112 storm drains around Jenkintown High School while informing neighbors of the storm drain connections to Tookany Creek and the Delaware River, a drinking water source for over 15 million people. Emma is a strong advocate for environmental sustainability and is a leader in her school.
Municipal Leader
Matthew Fritch is an Environmental Engineer at the Philadelphia Water Department who runs an initiative called GreenSTEM that engages local students in using technology and other STEM skills to better understand aquatic ecosystems. This year he taught students at the Mariana Bracetti Academy to build an underwater drone that surveys the Frankford Creek. The drone captured streaming video footage of various fish species and revealed one of the creek’s biggest challenges: trash that has accumulated in the creek. Matthew and his Watershed Stewards are now planning ways to to address the issues facing the aquatic organisms. His work with children to educate them on environmental engineering strategies has gone a long way in shaping their futures and is also benefiting the TTF Creek.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating these watershed heroes at our annual Watershed Milestones Award Ceremony & Reception on Wednesday, May 23 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at our home at the Globe Dye Works in Frankford.
