Valley Water Youth Commission

The Public Art Program aims to repurpose and beautify Valley Water’s infrastructure and to help deter trash, debris, and graffiti near creeks. Valley Water works in collaboration with the community and local artists to revitalize Valley Water’s infrastructure through expressive artwork. The program is part of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, which provides up to $1.5 million over 15 years to install and maintain public art projects, such as murals on Valley Water property.

The Youth Commission's Public Art working group supports the Public Art Program via their creative input and involvement in project implementation and outreach. To learn more, visit the Public Art Program.

The Creek Stewardship group plays an essential role in helping the community take action and responsibility for our local creeks. Members can participate, promote, and come up with creative ways to engage the community in large events. On a smaller but more involved scale, you can help Valley Water develop a better system to recruit volunteers for the Adopt-A-Creek program or adopt a creek yourself! There’s a lot of room for creativity and improvement to give the community a strong sense that they can be part of the litter solution in our creeks. Plus, you can get outside and see the visible difference you are making!

The Job Shadowing and Mentorship group supports the annual Youth Commission-sponsored Valley Water Job Shadow Day. Job Shadow Day offers high school students a chance to see what it is like working in a specific job or area of interest in the water industry. This group is responsible for social media promotion and school outreach to help spread the word on the various issues related to water, the environment, and stewardship that impact young people.

The members of the Youth Community Science Network Working Group (YCSN) are passionate about science, and are working to promote community science opportunities to youth and the wider community throughout Santa Clara County

Community Science, also known as Citizen Science, is a global movement that provides opportunities for the public to make observations and collect data about the natural world. These observations contribute vital data to scientific projects and research that help scientists to answer some of the biggest questions we are facing today, such as “Project Budburst” that helps scientists to study the effects of climate change on plants and animals.

Did you know that there are many organizations here in Santa Clara County, throughout the US, and across the globe, that host and support community science events? Find out how you can get involved and become a community scientist by clicking on the links below:

Organizations that support Community Science

California Academy of Sciences	CitizenScience.gov	City Nature Challenge
	CitizenScience.gov
CuriOdyssey	EarthEcho International	Grassroots Ecology
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society	Snapshot Cal Coast	Youth Science Institute

Apps that support Community Science:

Seek by iNaturalist

• How you can help keep creeks clean in Santa Clara County
• Adopt-A-Bench Public Arts Project with the Youth Commission 
• 2021 Job Shadow Day
• Water Matters: A Family Affair
• High School Students Learn About Careers in Water at Job Shadow Day
• We Want You (Th)! Open Seats on Youth Commission For High School Students
• What’s in A Drop – A Youth Commissioner’s View
• Seeking Youth Water Leaders
• Developing the Next Generation Of Water Resources Stewards

For questions or more info email us at [email protected].