By: Emily Ward and Mona Dominguez
Kacy Cobb is a 9-12th grade teacher at Hamilton High School in Marion County. She has been sharing 4-H AWW with students through the school’s Environmental Club for over a decade.
In 2017, Kacy, along with fellow Hamilton High School Science Teacher Dustin Murray and Rebecca Danley, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator with Marion County were recognized as the 4-H Alabama Water Watch Club of the Year!
Every year, Kacy takes a group of students to Williams Creek in Hamilton to conduct bacteriological and water chemistry monitoring. Amazingly, she can take students to the stream site and conduct monitoring within a very short time frame, less than an hour, during the school day!
Why did you choose to include 4-H AWW in your classroom?
I wanted students to be able to utilize science in the real world, I wanted students to see that they can be scientists.
Kacy’s daughter Sarah became 4-H AWW certified in 2016 when she was a student at Hamilton High School. Sarah’s involvement with 4-H AWW solidified her love of science, motivating her to pursue a degree in biology. Sarah is now a teacher at Hatton High School in Lawrence County, where she would like to incorporate citizen science into her own classroom.
How have students responded to 4-H AWW?
They love it. Every year I have more and more students wanting to be an AWW monitor.
Why is 4-H AWW a valuable asset to classrooms, clubs, and student groups?
You get to put in real data and they get to do some real science. It gets students interested and makes them good citizens even if they don’t want to be a scientist. They can still do this training and gain valuable skills in citizenship and encourages them to make good decisions.
We are thankful for educators like Kacy, Sarah, Dustin, and Rebecca, who have successfully adapted the 4-H AWW Program into their counties and schools!