MTU to host Lake Superior Youth Symposium During the Michigan Tech Summer Youth Program in August, 2000, Evelyn Ravindran, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community fishery technician at the Keweenaw Bay hatchery, shows students in Joan Chadde's Aquatic Ecology class how trout are grown in a hatchery environment. The 2001 Lake Superior Youth Symposium hosted by MTU will offer opportunities like this to students and teachers from all around the Lake Superior Basin. (Photo by Joan Chadde) HOUGHTON ’Äì More than 400 students in grades 8-12 and teachers from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario will attend the Fourth Biennial Lake Superior Youth Symposium May 17-20 on the campus of Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. Participants will learn about Lake Superior and the Great Lakes through more than 60 different field trips, presentations and projects on history, geology, water quality, forest management, pollution threats, wildlife, rock-climbing, group challenge course, photography, and art.   Symposium Coordinator Joan Chadde explains the purpose of the symposium: ’ÄúOur goal is to increase understanding of challenging environmental and scientific issues, enhance appreciation for the diverse environmental, cultural and historical resources of the Lake Superior region and promote personal involvement in creating solutions. This will be an exciting learning opportunity for all!’Äù   The Symposium will begin with a keynote speech by Thomas Baldini, chairman of the United States Section of the International Joint Commission, who will speak on "The State of the Lake Superior and Great Lakes Basins" at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in Fisher 135 on the MTU campus.    Presenters will include Michigan Tech, Northland College and University of Wisconsin faculty and graduate students; specialists from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historic Park, Michigan Sea Grant, the Great Lakes Aquarium, Trout Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, Lake Superior Alliance, Mead Paper Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and many educators, artists and writers.   Guest presenters Lois Beardslee ’Äì an Ojibway artist, author, and storyteller from Maple City, Michigan ’Äì and Ron Hobart of Hayward, Wisconsin, will make history come alive at the symposium.   Beardslee will present a program titled Native American Arts, Stories & Spirit that includes story-telling and teaching of traditional Ojibwe arts, such as porcupine quillwork, sweetgrass and birch bark basketry, birch bark cut-outs of animals, birch bark bitings and cedar fiber weaving.   Hobart will entertain students with The LaSalle Presentation that portrays a 17th-century voyageur garbed in authentic clothing ’Äì muslin shirt, canvas pants, wool socks and moosehide moccasins ’Äì as he travels through the Great Lakes. He will also involve participants in a Voyageur Rendezvous at McLain’Äôs State Park and offer symposium participants the opportunity to paddle on the Portage Waterway in his 36-foot long voyageur canoe!   Symposium registration $100 per student and $125 per teacher/chaperone. Registration covers meals and lodging for the entire three-day symposium, plus all field trips and presentations. One teacher/chaperone per 10 students is required. Registration is limited to the first 400 students to register. Registrations must be postmarked by April 6, 2001. Places are still available. For online registration visit the symposium website or, for registration or symposium program information, contact Joan Chadde at the Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Technological University by phone at 906-487-3341 or by email at jchadde@mtu.edu.   This exciting symposium is being organized by the Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Technological University, the Copper Country Intermediate School District Regional Math and Science Center and many other agencies and organizations. Funding for the symposium comes from the Wege Foundation, the Elizabeth E. Kennedy Fund, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Copper Country ISD Regional Math and Science Center, Michigan Technological University, Keweenaw Community Foundation, Mead Paper Division, Lake Superior Bi-national Forum, Central Lake Superior Watershed Partnership, Marquette Conservation District, Houghton-Keweenaw Conservation District and Copper Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Copper Country AmeriCorps members will assist with field trips, chaperoning students and other logistics. Click here for more photos illustrating youth activities similar to those the Symposium will offer ...