The 33rd annual Student GREEN Congress on March 19, 2026, is more than just a field trip or science project for local kids. The event brings together yearlong research by more than 500 students from 31 schools working together to study water quality with a focus on salmon habitat restoration.
Hosted by The Evergreen State College, the GREEN Congress combines an entire school years’ worth of education and water quality testing for one festive event. Thanks to South Sound GREEN, the Nisqually River Education Project, the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium and countless volunteers, a new generation of ecowarriors can start protecting precious regional watersheds.
2026 Student GREEN Congress Illustrates the Importance of Healthy, Vibrant Watersheds
In nearly three dozen local schools, students are learning about water quality and engaging in on-site testing of regional watersheds. Thousands of children participate in this project and each class can send up to eight delegates to present findings at the annual event.
“Congress is an opportunity for student delegates to represent their class and present their water quality data, compare notes with other students and come up with their own recommendations to improve conditions in the watershed together,” says Davy Clark, program director for the Nisqually River Education Project.
Students test for five different water quality parameters, explains Clark, to see if conditions are optimal for healthy salmon populations. Data collected is posted online so findings can be shared with both host schools and the community as a whole.
GREEN Congress is a Day of Research, Presentations, Collaboration and Scientific Mentorship
“In the morning, students participate in a State of the Rivers Sessions, where they present and discuss their findings,” explains Clark. “They identify data that exceed optimal water quality standards, discuss possible causes of pollution or poor conditions and make recommendations for improving the health of the watershed and Puget Sound.”
In the afternoon, students attend workshops that provide new skills and information about the environment. These are led by partner organizations ranging from private natural resource-based businesses to local non-profit agencies or individuals.
This year’s workshops cover botany, cyanotype photography, flyrod casting, art, science, birding, medicinal plants, oyster shucking, ecosystems and sharks in Puget Sound just to name a few.
Community Partnerships Keep Washington’s Natural Watersheds Healthy
Information sessions and afternoon workshops come together thanks to dedicated community partnerships. These include Nisqually Indian Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Nisqually Indian Tribe Community Garden, the Washington State Department of Ecology, Nisqually Reach Nature Center, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Nisqually Community Forest, South Sound Bird Alliance, Pierce Conservation District, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Firecraft Northwest, Thurston County Public Works, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators – Northwest Chapter, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, the City of Lacey, South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, Nisqually Land Trust, Pierce County Public Works, Long Live the Kings, Puget Sound Estuarium, Trout Unlimited, Wolf Haven International, Eco Woodworks, the City of Tumwater, Parametrix, Chehalis Lead Entity and the City of Yelm.
This year’s keynote speaker is Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales. Hogan and his organization use storytelling and field-based science to inspire students towards whale conservation.
Supporting New Generations of GREEN Ecofriendly Superheroes
Each presentation session concludes with a vote on how that group believes water quality and salmon habitat can be improved. There are also trained facilitators onsite who attend presentations to ask leading questions, help compile results and share their experience as members of the natural sciences community.
“At the end of the day,” says Clark, “students pledge to protect their watershed and share the information they learned with their classmates back at school.”
If you’re in, or retired from, a natural sciences career and would like to know more about attending as a mentor, workshop leader or event support, reach out to Davy Clark at davy@nisquallyriver.org to learn more.
You can find additional information about this year’s Congress on the South Sound GREEN website, check back frequently for updates and additions.
Nothing is more hopeful than an excited, enthusiastic child. Thanks to the Student GREEN Congress, that excitement is contagious and focused on preserving the Evergreen State for generations to come.
