Youth Programs

Educational materials, programs, school garden planning support, and mini-grants are provided free of charge to teachers, students, and home schooling families who reside or work within the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District. Those who reside outside of the service area may purchase RCRCD created materials.

Educational Materials

The Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District provides free conservation education materials to schools, youth groups and homeschooling families who live or work within RCRCD boundaries.

Elementary

Each year, educational materials about natural resources are offered to elementary level teachers and students of the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District. To request this year’s free materials, including booklets and posters, use the Elementary Order Form .

Middle School

RCRCD provides free materials to middle school teachers and students, in an effort to encourage the study of natural resources and their conservation. Middle School Order Form.

High School

The Soil Biology Primer and other materials are provided free of charge to interested teachers of high schools. The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component of soil. The book explains how soil contributes to agricultural productivity and to air and water quality. The Primer describes the soil food web and how it relates to soil health, with chapters about bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms, and more. The 48-page, full color book includes nearly 30 photo enlargements of microscopic soil creatures. The book was developed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and published by the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America. A copy of the Soil Biology Primer was donated to each school library.

To order free high school materials, use the High School Order Form.

For questions about ordering materials, please contact Erin Snyder at (951) 683-7691 Ext. 207 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .If necessary, leave a message that includes your name, address and phone number.

School Gardens and Outdoor Projects

Need ideas for starting a school garden?

First determine the purpose of your garden.

Do you hope to grow food, attract butterflies, go native, or simply beautify?

Planning involves measuring the space, drawing it to scale, researching plants, soliciting funds, and installing irrigation.

Don't forget about scheduling maintenance, weeding, and watering.

What will you do with those garden wastes? Compost or add to the landfill problem? What are different composting methods?

For information about composting, contact the Riverside County Master Composters. The website for Riverside County's Waste Management Department and the Master Composters is www.rivcowm.org. Alternatively, call 1-800-366-SAVE or (909) 955-1370 and ask for the Recycling Department. Also, visit www.mastercomposter.com.

A list of School and Garden Resources.

For additional help, request to have a Master Gardener visit your school by contacting Erin Snyder at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (951) 683-7691 Ext. 207.

Mini-Grants

Mini-grants for up to $250 are available from the RCRCD to school and youth groups of all ages to help fund outdoor conservation projects such as gardens, tree plantings, and re-vegetation projects.

If you would like to plant native plants in your school garden, consult the California Native Plant Societies' book Southern California Native Plants for School Gardens. It can be purchased from the CNPS website at www.cnps.org.

Envirothon

The Envirothon is a hands-on, team competition designed to help high school students learn about natural resource management. Students spend class time studying five areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current environmental issue. During the school year, teams prepare for the competition, which takes place each spring. Learning objectives and materials for students and teachers are provided by Resource Conservation Districts.

The Envirothon stimulates students' interests in natural resource stewardship. Students become aware of the many environmental problems that exist today. Working as a team, they use problem-solving skills to arrive at solutions to specific environmental problems.

At the outdoor competition, each team member answers written questions pertaining to the site, in the fields of: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils and Wildlife.

The final component of the competition is an oral presentation that the team members develop and present together concerning a current environmental issue.

Resource Conservation Districts, in conjunction with cooperating agencies, organizations, educators, and interest groups, conduct the California Envirothon. The winning team represents California nationally in late summer at the CANON Envirothon. If you would like to form an Envirothon team at your high school, or for more information, please contact Erin Snyder at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (951) 683-7691 Ext. 207.

The Arlington High School "American Lions" team won for California and North American in 2010!

Congratulations to our local champions who worked so hard preparing all year long: Elizabeth Murry, Elijah Kenan, Kristen Treat, Cory Davis, and team captain Alexis Wood. Their award-winning science teacher is Sherri Harris. Their advisors include Vice-principal Brian Frost and parent Diane Stevens.