Water Educator Network

Collective impact for water education

The Water Educator Network (WEN) supports and connects Colorado’s education and outreach professionals dedicated to advancing understanding about water through implementation of the Statewide Water Education Action Plan for Colorado (SWEAP). Through the WEN website, Google group, workshops and webinars, education and outreach professionals interact, share resources, gain access to professional development opportunities and trusted water information, and collaborate with their colleagues.

Who we are

Water Educator Network affiliates are water education and outreach professionals across the state, from professors, researchers and formal teachers to local government employees, water utility professionals and nonprofit outreach coordinators, who are enhancing the amount, quality and effectiveness of water education throughout Colorado. Working locally but with a collective aim, we’re moving the needle on water awareness and understanding across the state.

Sign up for WEN (free)

Valuable opportunities for WEN affiliates

The Water Educator Network is a unique opportunity to learn, collaborate, and stay up-to-date in the evolving industry of water education.

As an affiliate of WEN, you’ll receive opportunities specially designed to fit a Colorado water educator’s needs. These include professional development and resources focused on implementation of strategies identified in the Statewide Water Education Action Plan for Colorado (SWEAP). As an affiliate of WEN, you’ll receive:

• Opportunities for Networking and Collaboration: Water Education Colorado convenes frequent events, bringing together a statewide group of water educators. Gather to discuss needs, successes and challenges, and to explore partnerships with a dedicated group of peers.
• Customized Communication: A customized quarterly e-newsletter brings water educators and outreach professionals the latest in Colorado water education and outreach. Look for content on training opportunities, upcoming funding, and new programs. Affiliates have the opportunity to share content via the WEN e-newsletter and the WEN Google group.

Affiliates submit your upcoming events and happenings for consideration in WEco and WEN electronic print materials.

Statewide Water Education Action Plan (SWEAP)

Affiliates of the Water Educator Network helped develop the Statewide Water Education Action Plan for Colorado (SWEAP), which was finalized in November 2019.  SWEAP is a common agenda for water education’s role in achieving sustainable water for Colorado by 2050. Affiliates of the Water Educator Network will help lead implementation of SWEAP.

Click to learn more about SWEAP and view the Plan or watch the video below:

Colorado Project WET

As the host institution for Project WET in Colorado, Water Education Colorado helps connect Water Educator Network affiliates and other educators around the state to Project WET curriculum, resources and training. For a detailed overview of the Project WET program in Colorado, view the webinar below.

Recent events

We held the 2021 Water Educator Network Symposium at the Roaring Fork Conservancy’s River Center on June 28, 2021. The theme of the symposium was “Building Impactful Public Awareness Strategies.” The Symposium focused on implementing a multi-channeled public relations and media campaign for water awareness, informed by numerous Colorado examples, and with an eye toward planning for a statewide “Water ‘22” campaign in 2022, one of the strategies for awareness building in the Statewide Water Education Action Plan (SWEAP). The event included five speakers and a professional media training from Regan Petersen, co-owner of Fitzgerald Petersen Communications.

The 2021 Project WET Facilitator training was a hybrid model, where advanced learning happened virtually in Session 1, offered June 21 and June 23, 2021. We held Session 2 on June 29 in-person in conjunction with the WEN Symposium at the Roaring Fork Conservancy’s River Center. Five participants were certified as the newest Project WET Facilitators in Colorado.

We convened water festival coordinators from around the state on November 16, 2020. Coordinators received a preview of work to connect Critical Water Concepts from the Statewide Education Action Plan to Colorado Academic Standards. Coordinators also discussed contingency plans and shared their best alternative ideas for 2021 water festivals in light of potential COVID-19 restrictions.

Our 2020 WEN Symposium was virtual on August 20th and focused on Equipping Learners for Action in a Climate of Uncertainty. Participants tacked questions from involving youth in envisioning Colorado’s water future to socio-emotional tools for educators to create a supportive learning environment. All presentations were pre-recorded. Please check back for presentation recordings when they are made available to the public.

The 2020 Project WET Educator Workshop was August 21, 2020 and was also all-virtual. Participants learned about potential adaptations of classic Project WET for virtual learning environments and adaptations to incorporate scenarios for Colorado’s water future. Participants were also introduced to Project WET’s Home and Distance Learning Resources and ideas for how to engage their audiences in virtual learning in a dynamic and interactive way.

Our October 8, 2019 pre-conference workshop focused on Designing Water Education Actions for Statewide Impact: Implementing the Statewide Water Education Action Plan.

We held our annual WEN Symposium on June 5, 2019 focused on Equity in Water Education and Engaging Diverse Audiences.

We offered a webinar on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, focused on Colorado’s new state standards and opportunities to connect environmental and water education. View the live webinar recording.