Lori Cooper and Justin Harris

Cooper’s and Harris’ innovative teaching idea, “Defenders of the Mill Creek,” focuses on using challenge-based learning alongside an engineering design process to improve the quality of the local watershed in Cincinnati, the Mill Creek. Students involved in the project will monitor the health of the local watershed throughout the course of the school year, visiting various sites along the creek and performing chemical tests. Through their findings, they will educate the local community on the need to reduce the amount of water consumed on a daily basis. Students will examine how local water usage affects the watershed by tracing the flow of water from their home to the wastewater treatment plant. This project presents a unique opportunity for the students to help solve a societal problem that is of particular significance to the local community.