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Empowering Local Youth: LSSI Hosts “Wonders of the Watershed” Summit at Michigan Tech

Published October 23, 2026

News

Middle school students from across the Western Upper Peninsula gathered at Michigan Tech’s Memorial Union Building on Wednesday, October 21, for the Wonders of the Watershed Summit. Hosted by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI), this interactive event brought local students together with regional partners to explore the vital role of watershed health.

Hands-On Science and Local Conservation

Throughout the day, students rotated through dynamic learning stations led by local experts and community organizers. The interactive sessions gave participants a comprehensive look at local aquatic ecosystems and conservation practices through:

Interactive Science: Hands-on floodplain modeling and biological stream assessments.
Ecosystem Dynamics: Exploring the importance of native plant species and microscopy.
Community & Culture: Engaging in supply chain role-plays, discussions on legacy pollution, and environmental art projects.

Regional Partnerships in Action

The summit highlighted the depth of regional collaboration required to support Great Lakes stewardship. Interactive sessions were facilitated by a broad coalition of community partners, including representatives from Bessemer Area Schools, the Keweenaw Community Forestry Company, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Natural Resources Department, the Keweenaw Land Trust, the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition, Keweenaw Time Traveler, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan Nature Association, Michigan Sea Grant, Rabbit Island, Wild Ones (Keweenaw Chapter), and the Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region office (WUPPDR).

Funding for the event was provided by the Michigan chapter of The Nature Conservancy, with additional support from the Copper Country Intermediate School District and the Great Lakes Research Center.

About the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative

LSSI unites schools and communities in the stewardship of the Lake Superior watershed, empowering youth to become knowledgeable citizens actively engaged in local action projects. A partnership between the Copper Country Intermediate School District and the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan Tech, LSSI fosters deep community connections across the region.

Located on Michigan Tech’s campus in Houghton, Michigan, the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) leads in interdisciplinary research excellence. Situated in a 55,000-square-foot waterfront facility opened in 2012, the GLRC is a dynamic part of Michigan Tech’s landscape as an R1 public research university. Home to five specialized research centers, the GLRC drives innovation across water, land, climate, and community systems.

Rooted in Place: Erika Vye and LSSI Honored with 2026 MAEOE Impact Award

Published October 8, 2026

By Jessie Neece

Awards
News

When learning happens inside and outside the classroom—where local geology, watersheds, and community history become part of the curriculum—students don’t just learn; they gain benefits like increased civic engagement, higher motivation, and a deeper understanding of the landscape they inhabit.

In Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula, the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) weaves that connection into daily work. We are proud to share that LSSI and its leadership team—including GLRC Geosciences Research Scientist Erika Vye and LSSI’s Lloyd Wescoat—received the 2026 Impact Award in Environmental Education from the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).

The award was presented during the annual MAEOE conference in Flint, Michigan, honoring organizations and leaders whose vision expands access to high-quality outdoor and environmental learning.

“This award is a celebration of LSSI’s leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing environmental learning and outdoor engagement throughout the region.”
Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE)

Bridging Science, Community, and Geoheritage

Vye displaying the 2026 Impact Award in Environmental Education

At the Great Lakes Research Center, Vye’s research and outreach center on a powerful idea: landscapes shape our sense of place, and our shared connections to rocks, waters, and geoheritage offer a vital doorway into Great Lakes literacy.

Through her dual roles as a School-Community Team Mentor and Professional Learning Coordinator with LSSI, Vye works alongside regional educators and over 50 community partners. This network provides opportunities for K-12 students and teachers across 20 regional schools to learn about career pathways and supports stewardship projects that directly solve real, identified needs right here in the Copper Country.

LSSI unites local schools and communities in the stewardship of the Lake Superior watershed. By working alongside local knowledge holders to solve real community problems, students see themselves as valuable and capable civic leaders.
– Erika Vye, Geosciences Research Scientist

Small Communities, Regional Reach

The LSSI is part of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI), a statewide effort launched by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust. The LSSI is jointly housed within the Copper Country Intermediate School District and the Great Lakes Research Center. The scale of its daily impact across Houghton, Baraga, Keweenaw, Gogebic, and Ontonagon counties includes:

3,100+ K–12 Students actively engaged in local stewardship
70+ Teachers
50+ Local Community Partners
20 Partner Schools

By encouraging young people to step outdoors, investigate local challenges, and collaborate with regional experts, Vye and the LSSI team are helping raise the next generation of Great Lakes stewards. Visit the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative website to learn more about their work.

Please join us in celebrating Erika, Lloyd, and the entire LSSI network for this well-deserved recognition!

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