Alcona Community Schools Becomes First ‘Lake Huron Forever School’
Alcona High School students install a rain garden at Harrisville Harbor in May 2023. Students maintain the garden and collect litter at the community harbor as part of their place-based stewardship curriculum.
Alcona Community Schools has become the first school to join the Lake Huron Forever initiative, committing to actions which protect Lake Huron’s water quality while empowering its students to become the next generation of community and conservation leaders.
The Alcona Community Schools Board of Education adopted a resolution at its meeting June 9 to take the Lake Huron Forever Pledge and build upon the school’s ongoing environmental stewardship efforts. Alcona Community Schools joins the Lake Huron Forever Communities of Au Gres, Bay City, Charter Township of Oscoda, Goderich, Ont., and the City, Charter Township & County of Alpena in an international effort to ensure a sustainable future for our shared Great Lake.
Pledges are how communities show their public support and commitment to sustaining the health of Lake Huron and its surrounding resources. For Alcona Community Schools, their pledge serves as a guiding document for school leaders, staff, students and parents to make decisions on curriculum and on-the-ground projects which help protect the natural resources on which their community relies.
An aerial view of Harrisville Harbor in Alcona County, Mich. on the Lake Huron coast.
“Alcona Community Schools knows that a healthy Lake Huron means a healthy, strong and vibrant future for our community and schools,” reads the pledge. “Our well-being and economic prosperity are tied to Lake Huron. We understand that access to healthy natural resources like fresh air, clean water and public land improve the health and wellness of our entire community. We pledge to protect Lake Huron forever.”
The Lake Huron Forever initiative was developed in 2019 by shoreline community foundations and conservation partners from the United States and Canada to advance water quality protection and sustainability on both sides of Lake Huron. Facilitated by Huron Pines, the initiative supports community projects which strengthen the health of residents and natural resources of communities in Michigan and Ontario.
Superintendent Dan O’Connor has worked for Alcona Community Schools since 2006 as an instructor, coach, athletic director and principal. He also serves on Huron Pines’ Board of Directors and fosters relationships between the school, Huron Pines and other conservation partners which strengthen his students’ place-based environmental stewardship learning.
Alcona Community Schools students measure a bullhead during a fish survey at Lost Lake Woods Club in Alcona County.
“The experiences and impact of taking care of where we live for not only now, but also for the future, is key to developing our youth's sense of community,” O’Connor said. “We are fortunate to have such great support to continue current work and expand on future projects through the Lake Huron Forever initiative.”
The school’s pledge outlines the creation of a School Road Map, identifying ways to empower students with decision-making roles on projects which connect their classroom learning to real-world applications in their community. As an example, it builds on work happening at Harrisville Harbor where, in 2023, students installed a native-plant rain garden to capture and filter stormwater runoff. Environmental science teacher Kathrin Luce guided her students’ designs and ongoing maintenance of the rain garden as they apply their knowledge to making a direct, positive impact on Lake Huron.
Alcona students plant a rain garden at Harrisville Harbor in 2023.
“This year’s class wanted to make sure once and for all that the stormwater issue was addressed, and pollutants coming from the parking lot were filtered properly before water makes it back into our lake,” Luce said. “Students already have more ideas to help increase the natural biodiversity of our beautiful waters close to home and help decrease all aspects of pollution. I am happy and honored to work with so many young minds who are invested in the well-being of Lake Huron.”
Additionally, the pledge outlines 18 action steps the school will take. Among them:
Expand the use of the 43-acre school forest and nature trails to provide every student with access to outdoor learning
Continue efforts to include students in school forest management decisions, invasive species removal and biodiversity monitoring
Expand place-based stewardship education and provide support to teachers through partners like Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMIGLSI)
Support student connection to local fisheries through research at Lost Lake Woods Club
Explore opportunities to incorporate the pledge and nature-based solutions into future plans
“We are so excited to have Alcona Community Schools be the first school district to adopt the Lake Huron Forever Pledge,” said Abigail Ertel, Director of Community Engagement for Huron Pines. “The work of the school staff, administration and board to formalize their commitment to build the next generation of conservation-minded leaders who understand the importance of healthy natural resources is inspiring. I know they will be a model for other schools to follow in their footsteps.”
Lake Huron Forever is facilitated by Huron Pines and supported by the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, Sunset Community Foundation, Lake Huron Coastal Centre, Michigan Department of Great Lakes, Environment, and Energy and Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network. Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative was a key player in the school’s pledge process. Learn more and read the full pledge at lakehuronforever.org.