Are you passionate about the local environment? Are you looking to get more involved inyour local community? The NSRWA is excited to launch our new initiative, called the Climate Action Youth Advisory Council (CAYAC), for high school students! CAYAC members will help provide a unique perspective on the NSRWA’s programs including how we can work together to protect our precious ecosystem.
The NSRWA makes a difference in our community by…
- Helping to keep our local rivers healthy for the animals that call them home (like fish!)
- Educating people about what a watershed is and why it’s important
- Connecting people to volunteer opportunities within the watershed
- Providing outdoor opportunities for children in our community to learn about science
Members of our CAYAC Initiative will help us by…
- Sharing their perspective on how we can evolve our programs and projects
- Making connections with their teachers, school groups, and peers
- Writing articles, which will be shared on our website, about how to take care of the environment
- Making social media content based on watershed education and environmental advocacy (all while having fun!)
Participating in CAYAC means the following…
- Three (3) virtual meetings with the NSRWA team and fellow CAYAC members
- One (1) site visit or field trip within our watershed
- Writing a minimum of one (1) article* which would be shared on our website
- Creating a minimum of one (1) social media style video* (TikTok or Reel)
*We will provide guidelines about the article and video to accepted students
Frequently asked questions
Q: I participate in sports/extracurriculars. Will the meetings take place at the same time?
A: Virtual meetings will be held on Monday evenings at a time to be determined based on CAYAC members availability. We will take into account your schedule when planning our meetings.
Q: I don’t use social media, where will the videos be shared?
A: We will post the videos on our social media accounts, and for those of you who do use social media we will encourage you to share them, and tag us, on yours as well.
Q: Can I get school credit? Can I participate if I am in home school?
A: Talk to your teachers regarding how your participation could apply to your education. And yes, we encourage teens in home school to apply!
The CAYAC application process includes the following…
- A complete application (page 3 of the packet below)
- A 15 minute call with our program team
NSRWA CAYAC Eligibility and Application Information
- Thanks for your interest in becoming a member of the NSRWA CAYAC Initiative!
- Please review the following before submitting your application.
- We can’t wait to speak with you!
CAYAC is open to students meeting the following criteria:
Must reside in, or go to school in, one of the following towns:
- Abington
- Duxbury
- Hanover
- Hanson
- Hingham
- Marshfield
- Norwell
- Pembroke
- Rockland
- Scituate
- Weymouth
- Whitman
Must be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior, or a home schooler taking grade-equivalent course work
CAYAC applicant information
- The NSRWA team reviews CAYAC applications on a rolling basis
- After receiving your application, we will schedule a 15-minute call with you so we can answer any questions you may have
- Maximum enrollment at any given time is 24 students, with a preference to enroll two students from each town
- Depending on applications received, we may consider enrolling more than two (2) students from each town
- Once accepted into CAYAC, new members will be expected to join the next scheduled virtual meeting, before being able to participate in the in-person field trip
- Written articles and social media videos may be used as part of the CAYAC member’s personal portfolio for college applications
Find us on Instagram at @northsouthrivers
DOWNLOAD THE CAYAC APPLICATION HERE.