EAST ALTON, IL – The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRRECsm), a division of Lewis and Clark Community College, has been awarded a renewal of their grant with Swarovski Waterschool. They will continue their role as the only Swarovski Waterschool in North America.

NGRREC will receive $90,000 per year for the next three years. The funds will be used to expand the Swarovski Waterschool education staff and to conduct scientific and educational activities and teacher training throughout the watershed.

According to NGRREC Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher, the partnership will advance water education throughout the Mississippi River watershed.

“NGRREC is proud and excited to continue hosting Swarovski Waterschool USA,” she said. “Swarovski Waterschool’s commitment to educating students and teachers about the importance of fresh and clean water in their communities goes hand in hand with NGRREC’s mission to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of our great rivers.”

A statement from Swarovski Waterschool confirms the organization’s commitment to environmental education worldwide.

“The Swarovski Waterschool is excited to continue its partnership with NGRREC, educating students and their communities on the importance of sustainable water use, looking after the environment, and connecting with their local river, the Mississippi. Swarovski Waterschool USA is part of the global Waterschool network, protecting our water sources for future generations. NGRREC shares our values and goals, and we are excited to continue this journey with them.”

Swarovski, famous for fine jewelry and crystals, established the first Waterschool in 2000 along the Danube River in Austria to teach children and local communities about the importance of freshwater conservation.

Since its inception, Swarovski Waterschool has expanded to include locations along the world’s great rivers, including the Amazon in Brazil, the Yangtze in China, the Ganges in India, the Chao Phraya in Thailand, the Nile in Uganda and the Parramatta in Australia, in addition to the Danube and Mississippi.

NGRREC earned its first Swarovski Waterschool designation in 2016.

For more information, please contact Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher at (618) 468-2900 or safisher@lc.edu.

To learn more about NGRREC and its educational opportunities, visit http://www.ngrrec.org.

For more information on Swarovski Waterschool, visit www.swarovskiwaterschool.com.