Q: What is WEFTeach™?
A: WEFTeach™ is an award-winning, full-day train-the-trainer teacher’s workshop that shows innovative ways to engage youth in real life water problems and solutions.  Training is tailored to serve the specific water quality challenges of the community.

Q: What is the purpose of WEFTeach™?
A: The purpose of WEFTeach™ is to leverage resources created by the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC®) economy of scale for a long lasting educational benefit. 

 
Q: Who is the targeted audience?
A: The targeted audience changes each year depending on the curriculum.  This year in Chicago WEFTeach™ will include two workshops, Sewer Science, and The 10 Day Water Curriculum.  The targeted audience for Sewer Science is high school students, while The 10 Day Water Curriculum is 6th – 9th grades. 

Q: What is Sewer Science?
A: Sewer Science is a mobile mini wastewater treatment plant that challenges students to treat water to the same US EPA standards expected of municipalities.  This lab allows students to apply scientific concepts using real industry procedures and lab equipment.

Q: What is The 10 Day Water Curriculum?
A: The 10 Day Water Curriculum is a program developed by the Illinois Water Environment Association that utilized nine classroom days using hands-on experiments, videos, activities, etc. relating to the water cycle that has been modified to include wastewater treatment.  It is currently implemented in approximately 110 Illinois schools.

Q: What is the benefit to the host community?
A: The host community will be served by educating future rate payers, voting citizens, and potential water quality career candidates. 
During the lifespan of the Sewer Science mobile laboratory, potentially 10,000 students will learn the process and complexities, as well as surrounding issues to treat wastewater to U.S. EPA standards.  The result is an increased wastewater IQ in the general public to support water/wastewater infrastructure needs.

Q: How is Sewer Science helpful to the science teacher?
A: Sewer Science and the 10 Day Water Curriculum are flexible for various grades, and integrates biology, chemistry, physics and math.  The program also introduces wastewater, storm water, and water quality concepts, and provides a foundation to discuss pollution prevention.

Q: What is the cost to the teacher?
A: WEF has attempted to make the cost of the workshop very affordable for the average teacher.  The cost to attend WEFTeach™ is $10.00 and includes the full-day training workshops; Teacher and Student Workbooks; Teacher and Student DVD; Go with the Flow CD, and a sit-down luncheon and speaker.

Q: How can an organization, company, etc. become a sponsor of WEFTeach™?
A: Contact WEF staff member, Stefanie Walter, at swalter@wef.org or at 703-684-2414, and ask for information on becoming a sponsor for WEFTeach™.

Q: How can teachers register for WEFTeach™?
A: Teachers can register for WEFTeach™ by contacting Stevi Hunt-Cottrell at 703-684-2454 or by e-mail at shunt-cottrell@wef.org to request a registration application.