Julie Olson

“Making W.A.V.E.S.: Water Quality for At-risk Student Ventures in Engineering and Science” is Olson’s winning project, designed to provide a service learning experience for the school district’s alternative high school program, Second Chance. Students will have a chance to expand their science and engineering knowledge while designing and carrying out a water quality analysis program for Lake Mitchell. The program also will include habitat restoration solutions. Water quality testing methods such as chemical, algal, and macro-invertebrate, as well as watershed and biodiversity dynamics will be taught. With the information they learn, students  will prepare and present reports to the city council with recommendations to reduce the impacts of human activities on the lake and its biodiversity, as well as maintain a database of the results. Olson, who lives in Mitchell, hopes the 100 students will positively respond to a real-world learning opportunity through the project