Volunteerism: Getting your feet wet.

There are many departments at Tech that most of you have probably heard of such as Chemistry, Environmental Engineering and Petroleum. But have you heard of Technical Outreach and the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program (Cfwep.org)? Many of you may answer no, so I would like to tell you about what Cfwep.org, a program within Technical Outreach, does. More importantly, I would like to tell you how you can use your expertise to help local area students gain a better understanding of science.



What is Cfwep.org? The Cfwep.org has been a leading provider of environmental and restoration education programs and services in western Montana since 2005. Cfwep.org offers multi-disciplinary science and history programs for schools, teachers, and students in and around the Upper Clark Fork Basin. Cfwep.org also offers public education and outreach services such as tours, events, and publications that connect the public with the science and history of the amazing landscape of western Montana.


Why volunteer with Cfwep.org? Volunteers gain many benefits. By volunteering with Cfwep.org, you will have the opportunity to:
• connect with student in the local area
• share your knowledge and experience
• learn place-based and inquiry based methods of teaching
• give back to your community
• improve your resume and professional school application
• connect with professionals from many organizations.


Volunteer for what? There are many different events and projects where volunteers are needed. Currently, we need volunteers for the following activities:
• Science Fair Judges
• Little Digger Day
• Fish Dissections;
• CFWEP field trips.


As a science fair judge, you will spend the day or afternoon judging elementary or junior high science projects. As a Little Digger Day volunteer, you can run a fun science activity for elementary students here on Tech campus. For the fish dissection, you will go into local schools with CFWEP staff and help the students dissect and identify fish anatomy. As a volunteer for a CFWEP field trip, you will assist in one of the following stations: water quality; riparian assessment; or macroinvertebrate identification.


When and where?
Science Fairs
East Middle School, February 24th
Fred Moodry Middle School, March 1st and 2nd
Ramsay Elementary, March 3rd
MT Tech Regional Science Fair, March 8th and 10th


Little Digger Days
MT Tech, April 7th


Fish Dissections
Philipsburg, March 9th
Elliston, March 14th
Fred Moodry Middle School, March 28th
Avon, March 30th


CFWEP Field Trips
Butte Central, April 7th
Fred Moodry Middle School, April 28th
East Middle School, May 5th and 6th
Philipsburg, May 11th
Ramsay Elementary, May 19th

Written by Beverly Plumb

Assistant Field Coordinator with Cfwep.org

Please email me at bplumb@mtech.edu or call 491-0922 for more information about any of these events.