Thursday's Assignment: Impacting Idaho's Future

I am excited to embark on this adventurous week and learn more about the immediate world that surrounds me, my family, and my students.  

The two videos that piqued my interest were "Portneuf's Future" and "Citizen Scientists."  I see any impact as a positive and forward progress as a blessing for our community.  It is hard for me to measure the scale of impact the efforts in these two videos will have, but as a Pocatello resident and educator, I am already motivated to support the efforts employed in these two videos.    

I am a native Oregonian and two of the things I miss most after having relocated to SE ID are beautiful trees and beautiful rivers.  The Portneuf is an asset to our community and it is a shame that it has been neglected versus integrated into our community.  Improving the river's cleanliness, esthetics, flora, fauna, and recreational value would enhance our Pocatello living.  I have lived places where rivers are integral to the community through which it flows and long for that experience here in Pocatello.  I would like to see continued efforts to manage flood protection balanced with care for the river's health and enhancement.  

I am teaching a new elective next year.  It is a non-competitive PE class with walking/hiking/trekking at its core.  Post-video, I am already brainstorming manners in which I can incorporate the technology shared in "Citizen Scientists" as cross-curricular learning during my PE class.  I see impact increase when people, and in my case students, are provided personal connections and real world applications to what they are being taught.  Having a chance to easily and conveniently participate in ISU studies benefits the participants and the scientists gathering data.  I would like to explore the maps, especially the overlays, for their historic context and value.  This tool is a tangible, accessible enhancement to anyone exploring Pocatello.  When students are provided a tool that involves them personally in the betterment of our community, they are provided an opportunity to be in a leadership role sharing and motivating others to participate.  The future has a greater change to be impacted for the positive when youth are taught and mobilized to contribute in an authentic manner beyond our school's brick and mortar walls.

Looking forward to discussion and learning,

Darcy