Floating Classroom from Living Lands & Waters Arrives in St. Paul, Offers Complimentary Workshops
Living Lands & Waters Brings Career Education to the Mississippi River
Living Lands & Waters, a nonprofit river clean-up and conservation organisation, has set up a floating classroom barge in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the Mississippi River. The barge serves as a venue for free workshops and educational programs for high school students and young adults, introducing them to a wide range of career opportunities associated with rivers, such as towboat captain, deckhand, fishery biologist, artwork creator, water quality tester, and paddle guide [1][2].
The Mississippi River Institute, run by Living Lands & Waters, aims to promote awareness and education about the Mississippi River and the career opportunities it offers to young adults. Rachel Loomis, the Mississippi River Institute manager and educator for Living Lands & Waters, is leading the initiative [3].
The workshops offered on the barge provide an immersive learning experience about the Mississippi River. They highlight various career paths, from the towboat industry jobs (towboat captains, deckhands, engineers, and cooks who work and live on towboats) to maritime trades, conservation and environmental science, government and regulatory roles, recreation and tourism, and arts and culture [1][2].
The programs emphasise exposing young adults to the diverse career paths associated with the Mississippi River without directing them to a specific job. Instead, they encourage informed career decisions based on the '2,300 miles of opportunity' the river represents [1][2].
In addition to the workshops, Living Lands & Waters collaborates with maritime sponsors to provide experiential learning such as towboat tours and guest speaker events, further supporting workforce development in river-related fields [5].
Workshops at the St. Paul location are offered free of charge, typically Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the fall season [2][3]. This initiative serves to broaden awareness and access to river-based careers, promoting economic and environmental stewardship tied to the Mississippi River corridor.
[1] Living Lands & Waters. (n.d.). Career education and exploration opportunities. Retrieved from https://livinglandsandwaters.org/career-education-exploration/
[2] Living Lands & Waters. (n.d.). Mississippi River Institute. Retrieved from https://livinglandsandwaters.org/mississippi-river-institute/
[3] Living Lands & Waters. (n.d.). Meet our team. Retrieved from https://livinglandsandwaters.org/meet-our-team/
[4] Living Lands & Waters. (n.d.). Our projects. Retrieved from https://livinglandsandwaters.org/our-projects/
[5] Living Lands & Waters. (n.d.). Partners. Retrieved from https://livinglandsandwaters.org/partners/
- The floating classroom barge by Living Lands & Waters on the Mississippi River provides educational programs on the diverse career opportunities related to the river, such as environmental science, art, and conservation.
- The Mississippi River Institute, run by Living Lands & Waters, offers workshops on climate-change and environmental-science, aiming to promote awareness and education about the river and its associated career opportunities.
- Rachel Loomis, the manager and educator for Living Lands & Waters, is leading the initiative to bring education-and-self-development programs to the Mississippi River, including personal-growth workshops and learning opportunities in a range of fields.
- The workshops on the barge provide an immersive learning experience about the Mississippi River and its role in science, from the towboat industry to maritime trades, government and regulatory roles, and arts and culture.
- Living Lands & Waters collaborates with maritime sponsors to offer experiential learning opportunities, such as towboat tours and guest speaker events, that support workforce development in river-related fields, contributing to both economic and environmental self-development in the Mississippi River corridor.
