Courtesy Photo by Lake Huron Forever Alcona High School students are seen installing a rain garden at the Harrisville Harbor in May 2023. Students maintain the garden and collect litter at the community harbor as part of their place-based stewardship curriculum.

ALPENA — Alcona Community Schools (ACS) has taken the Lake Huron Forever pledge, making them the first school district to join the initiative.

By taking the pledge, ACS is committing to actions which protect Lake Huron’s water quality, according to a Lake Huron Forever press release. The initiative aims to inspire students to become the next generation of community and conservation leaders.

The Lake Huron Forever initiative was developed in 2019 by community foundations and conservation partners from the United States and Canada to advance environmental stewardship on both sides of Lake Huron, according to the press release. The initiative is further facilitated by Huron Pines.

The press release states that the ACS Board of Education adopted a resolution at its meeting on Monday, June 9 to take the pledge, furthering the district’s ongoing environmental stewardship efforts. Other Lake Huron Forever Communities include Au Gres, Bay City, Charter Township of Oscoda, Goderich, Onterio, and the City of Alpena, Charter Townshipof Alpena, and Alpena County.

According to the press release, the Lake Huron Forever initiative is an international effort to ensure a sustainable future for Lake Huron. Communities take pledges to announce their support and commitment to lake stewardship. The press release explains that ACS’ pledge provides guidance for school leaders, staff, students, and parents to make decisions on curriculum and stewardship projects.

The pledge is as follows:

“Alcona Community Schools knows that a healthy Lake Huron means a healthy, strong and vibrant future for our community and schools. Our well-being and economic prosperity are tied to Lake Huron. We understand that access to healthy natural resources like fresh air, clean water and public land improve the health and wellness of our entire community. We pledge to protect Lake Huron forever.”

Alcona Community Schools Superintendent Dan O’Connor serves on Huron Pines’ Board of Directors, according to the press release. O’Connor fosters relationships between ACS, Huron Pines, and other conservation partners to incorporate “place-based environmental stewardship learning” within the ACS curriculum.

“The experiences and impact of taking care of where we live for not only now, but also for the future, is key to developing our youth’s sense of community,” O’Connor said in the press release. “We are fortunate to have such great support to continue current work and expand on future projects through the Lake Huron Forever initiative.”

The press release explains that the school’s pledge empowers students with decision-making roles on projects, connecting their classroom learning to their community. For example, the pledge builds on a rain garden project at the Harrisville Harbor that ACS students installed in 2023. Environmental science teacher Kathrin Luce guided her students through the project, according to the press release.

“This year’s class wanted to make sure once and for all that the stormwater issue was addressed, and pollutants coming from the parking lot were filtered properly before water makes it back into our lake,” Luce said in the press release. “Students already have more ideas to help increase the natural biodiversity of our beautiful waters close to home and help decrease all aspects of pollution. I am happy and honored to work with so many young minds who are invested in the well-being of Lake Huron.”

According to the press release, the Lake Huron Forever pledge outlines 18 action steps the school will take. These include expanding the use of school forest and nature trials for outdoor learning; including student decisions on school forest management, invasive species removal, and biodiversity monitoring; supporting connections to local fisheries; and more.

Abigail Ertel, director of Community Engagement for Huron Pines, stated in the press release that the nonprofit is excited to have ACS as the first school district to adopt the Lake Huron Forever Pledge.

“The work of the school staff, administration and board to formalize their commitment to build the next generation of conservation-minded leaders who understand the importance of healthy natural resources is inspiring,” Ertel said in the press release. “I know they will be a model for other schools to follow in their footsteps.”

Chris Engle, Huron Pines communications associate, told The News that though there aren’t any current plans for other Northeast Michigan school districts to take the Lake Huron Pledge, ACS’ pledge may open the doors for other districts. Engle said that Northeast Michigan may see more school districts taking the pledge in the future.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.