Encouraging the Community to Protect the Lake and Stay Safe While Enjoying It
Creating awareness and providing learning opportunities allows SMLA to extend knowledge and action outward through our community with the result of better lake protection and safer water activities for all.
SMLA’s volunteer education force reaches out to learners of all ages in a variety of ways to share knowledge that results in a better understanding of our lake’s ecosystem and watershed along with safe practices for enjoying all that Smith Mountain Lake has to offer.
The SMLA Education Committee is comprised of school educators and administrators, retired teachers, environmental scientists, data analysts, boating safety professionals, Virginia Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners, and community partners such as West Virginia Water Authority and Bedford County Water Authority – all of whom are interested in the environmental health of SML and the safety of our lake community. Our partnerships strengthen SMLA’s work and expand our educational reach.
Youth Education
SMLA’s Education Committee harnesses the professional expertise of our members in partnership with local educators to develop annual lake related lessons for our elementary school community residents. Lessons might include: the SML ecosystem, the critters who call SML home, or maintaining the beauty of SML. We hope to expand our elementary school outreach to all three lake counties in 2024-2025 and also utilize our business partners in displaying some of our local youth talent.
Adolescent Education – Watershed & Environmental Science Outreach
SMLA’s Education Committee of local professionals and educators are continuing a partnership with West Virginia Water Authority for the Creek Week program at Franklin County’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School. This program brings all of BFMS’s 6th graders to the creek for water quality testing and watershed education.
A new SMLA partnership has been developed with Bedford County high schools, SML State Park, and the Bedford County Water Authority to bring a similar Creek Week program to 9th grade environmental science students. Additionally, hands-on and applied activities are being developed by SMLA’s science educators for use in our local school’s Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science classrooms.
SMLA is also on a mission to keep our youth and adolescents safe while on the lake. Our Water Safety Council has guest speakers for our local school boater safety programs. Additionally, SMLA, in conjunction with TLAC and DWR are working to develop a water safety program for area 4th graders that align with VDOE health standards.
Guest Speaker Series
SMLA’s leadership including our Lake Quality Council, Water Safety Council, Water Quality Monitoring, and Buffer Landscaping teams welcome the opportunity to speak at local area community events.
Whether you’re a school district administrator / educator, local business or community club looking for information or engagement with helping keep SMLA Clean and Safe, our Education Committee can help! Call the SMLA office at 540-719-0690 or email education@smlassociation.org to learn more and help SMLA continue our community outreach.