News

Tip of the Mitt Watershed - Students Experience Lake Charlevoix Program

Thanks to support from a C3F Youth Needs grant, the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council successfully delivered the 2026 Students Experience Lake Charlevoix (SELC) program to 226 6th grade students from Boyne City Middle School, Boyne Falls Public Schools, Charlevoix Middle School, Concord Academy Boyne, East Jordan Middle School, and St. Mary's School. Over the course of two days, students participated in three half-day sessions aboard the Beaver Islander Ferry on Lake Charlevoix. During the program, students rotated through seven interactive stations focused on water chemistry, lake biology, invasive species, groundwater, and Michigan fish. Through these hands-on experiences, students gained a deeper understanding of Lake Charlevoix's ecology, the challenges facing local waters, and the role that they can play in protecting our water resources. This year's event was made possible through a longstanding partnership between the Lake Charlevoix Association and the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, along with the efforts of more than a dozen volunteers and community partners, including representatives from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Boyne City Pirate Fest, and individual community volunteers. The experience demonstrated the strength of community partnerships and the value of place based environmental education in helping young people connect with Lake Charlevoix and become informed stewards of their local waters.