Highpoint Center for Printmaking (HP) received funding in 2019 from Hennepin County Green Partners Environmental Education to host a one-year project, the Creative Clean Water Stewards Project for Youth. This video was produced to document the project. This project provided free, environmentally themed classes for 5th grade youth from two schools in Hennepin County: Burroughs Community School K-5 and Nellie Stone Johnson Community School K-5. Both schools have onsite rain gardens as well.

The goals of the project were to: (1) engage fifth grade youth in the study of rain gardens located at their schools and Highpoint, (2) teach youth about major factors threatening clean water, and (3) encourage young people to take action to improve and protect water, with a focus on city lakes and/or rivers located in their neighborhoods.

Clean water and rain gardens are very timely topics for elementary students, especially fifth graders: this age group is mature enough to study environmental issues and ready to take action and help make change with motivation by mentors and teachers. Hands-on printmaking classes at Highpoint and in-depth study about rain gardens and clean water, plus outdoor experiential learning sessions with environmental artist Sean Connaughty and Master Water Steward Josh Bindewald, inspired participating youth to become Creative Clean Water Stewards.