Special to The WJH
ATHENS — The Athens-based river advocacy organization Georgia Rivers is putting a new twist on the time-honored back-to-school “what I did on my summer vacation” essay tradition.
Georgia Rivers is giving educators in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama the chance to write their own summer vacation story by participating in Paddle Georgia 2025, a seven-day, 82-mile journey through the Tennessee River basin via the Paddle Georgia Educator’s Scholarship program. Along the way, these educators will receive training in environmental education curriculum and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream water monitoring.
“The goal is to give teachers a handson wilderness journey and environmental education experiences that they can share with their students when they return to the classroom later in the year,” said Paddle Georgia Coordinator, Joe Cook. “Past participants have incorporated what they’ve learned into lesson plans and even established Adopt-AStream programs at local schools.”
GRN is providing up to eight scholarships valued at $460 for Georgia educators to participate in what is considered the country’s largest week-long canoe/kayak camping adventure.
The journey begins June 16, 2025 on South Chickamauga Creek in Ringgold, Ga., courses through Chattanooga on the Tennessee River and concludes along the big river in Stevenson, Ala., June 22.
Interested educators can view information about the trip at www.garivers.org/paddle-georgia/ and apply for a scholarship online at: https://georgiarivernetwork.regfox.com /paddle-georgia-2025-educators-scholarship- program.
All scholarship applications must be received by March 30. Winners of the scholarships will be announced in early April.
In addition to paddling each day and camping each night, educators participating in the event will receive environmental education curriculum material and training in how to put it to use. They will have the opportunity to learn chemical water monitoring and become certified as Georgia Adopt-A-Stream citizen water monitors.
Additionally, teachers will have the opportunity to participate in multiple environmental education programs available to all participants throughout the week-long trip.
Paddle Georgia is an annual week-long, canoe and kayak journey taking place on a different Georgia river each year. This year’s journey on the Tennessee River marks its 20th anniversary.
In the event’s first 19 years, Georgia Rivers has engaged more than 7,000 people and generated more than $900,000 for river protection through the events. More than 80 Georgia educators have participated in the scholarship program.
Founded in 1998, Georgia Rivers is a non-profit 501c3 organization with the mission to protect and connect people with Georgia’s rivers.
For more information, contact Joe Cook at (706) 409-0128 or [email protected]
