SPLASH Guardian Patch Program Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability, Heritage. The Mermaid Society SMTX is a grassroots community organization that brings together like-spirited community partners in support of river guardianship, the arts, historic preservation and local entrepreneurship in San Marcos, TX. The Guardian Patch Program is designed to encourage youth to explore the beauty and history of the San Marcos River, and develop a life-long devotion to river conservation. PROGRAM GRADE LEVEL REQUIREMENTS: Brownies: _1 Activity from each category, plus 1 starred item (7 total) Juniors: 1 Activity from each category, plus 2 starred items (8 total) Cadettes, Seniors, & Ambassadors: _2 Activities from each category, plus 3 starred items (12 total). 1
STEWARDSHIP Learn about stewardship. Learn about native wildlife and plant species that inhabit the San Marcos River. Why is the Texas Blind Salamander blind? How many species of fish reside in the river? How many species are endangered? What type of grass might tickle your toes if you swim in the river? Learn about the harms to our state river systems, and what organizations and government agencies work to reduce the impact of pollution. What can be done to clean up our rivers? Activity 3 *Participate in a Mermaid Chat with a member of the Mermaid Society SMTX. Learn about the significance of the mermaid and Aquarena Springs to San Marcos. Find out how you and your troop can help the Mermaid Society to protect our rivers. *With your troop, perform a skit or song about good stewardship and river conservation for a group of younger scouts. You can describe the river habitat in a silly song, or pose as some of the endangered species characters like Texana the Texas Wild Rice, Ben the Texas Blind Salamander, Finn the Fountain Darter, Sally the San Marcos Salamander, or Mario the San Marcos Gambusia. *Learn about and participate in Texas State University s Aquatic Science Camp. PRESERVATION Learn about preservation. Visit the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (formerly Aquarena Springs) in San Marcos. Take a glass bottom boat tour and get a fish-eye s view of the springs that feed the San Marcos River. See how many aquatic plants and animals you can identify. Investigate the San Marcos River Foundation s efforts to monitor the water quality of the San Marcos River. Who are the San Marcos River Rangers? How can middle and high school students help the River Rangers? 2
Activity 3 Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service s National Fish Hatchery in San Marcos. Tour the facility and talk to a USFWS biologist about aquatic habitat conservation. What can young people do to help endangered aquatic species in our area? *Volunteer at a river clean-up for a minimum of 1 hour. (Mermaid Society SMTX hosts an annual clean up the Sunday following the Downtown Mermaid Parade and Aqua Faire) *Volunteer with the Texas Stream Team for a minimum of 1 hour. LOCAL Keeping it local. Learn about flooding in the San Marcos River and Hays County area. How do floods impact the river habitat? How do floods impact people who live and work around the river? What can you do to avoid a flash flood? How can you prepare for predicted flooding in your area? Meet with a local entrepreneur whose work raises awareness for river conservation. What were his/her challenges and successes along the way? Think of ways that you and your troop can use your entrepreneur skills to help our river systems. Activity 3 Learn about fun and safe water recreation at the San Marcos River. What water sports and activities can you and your troop enjoy together? How can you respect the river habitat while enjoying recreation in the water? What safety rules should be followed when enjoying water recreation? Identify the safety wise adults and water wise adults in your troop? Enjoy a recreational sport in the San Marcos River, such as tubing, stand up paddle boarding, or snorkeling. You may even try splashing with a mermaid! Always follow safety wise rules, play safe, and leave no trace. Learn about the Texas Water Safari and Texas Junior Water Safari. Why is it called, The World s Toughest Canoe Race? What is the minimum age for youth to participate in the race with an adult? What type of equipment and planning is required for participation? Activity 6 *Participate in the annual Mermaid Society Parade. Activity 7 3
*Attend the start of the Texas Water Safari, volunteer for the race, or challenge yourself and participate in the Texas Junior Water Safari. ARTS Delve into the arts. Research at least 5 famous artists, actors, or musicians who have ties to San Marcos. How did these people make a living before they made it big? What achievements did they accomplish, and are they still connected to the people, venues, and culture of San Marcos? Observe at least 5 different pieces of art inspired by the San Marcos River or Spring Lake. There are various sculptures, murals, paintings, and other river art to be seen around the City of San Marcos. Activity 3 Visit an art gallery, art market, or other artist events in San Marcos. If possible, talk to an artist about what inspires them. Where can you find inspiration for art? How can you use art to spread a message? Create a mosaic picture, decoupage sculpture, or other art piece depicting the San Marcos River or Spring Lake. Try to include a native plant or animal species in your art, or you may include a mermaid just for fun. Attend a Mermaid Society Aqua Festival workshop, such as a tiara/crown making session or an endangered species costume making session. Activity 6 *Host an educational craft booth for children at the annual Mermaid Society Aqua Faire. 4
SUSTAINABILITY Learn about sustainability. Visit the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Watch an educational video about how you can help sustain the health of the water and the environment at the San Marcos River. Then visit the Wetlands Boardwalk and learn how wetlands clean and filter rivers. Write a summary about what you learned, and share it with your troop, family, or class. Participate in a Girl Scout or other educational program at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. You can test the water quality of the river, type of bugs to determine the health of the river, observe freshwater creatures in their underwater habitat, or take a guided hike of Spring Lake, among other activities. Activity 3 Research environmental sustainability. What does sustainability mean to you? What are some challenges and successes to San Marcos environmental sustainability? How does the rapid population growth in the area affect the San Marcos river? *Host an educational outing for younger children/girl Scouts to learn about the San Marcos River and help them work in requirements toward journeys, outdoor badges, or this patch program. The outing should emphasize river habitat and guardianship. Always follow safety wise rules and leave no trace. *Research potential problems affecting your local rivers, and write to your local state or federal representatives about river conservation and potential solutions to the problems. HERITAGE Learn about heritage. Learn about the history of San Marcos. Who first discovered the San Marcos River and Spring Lake? What cultures have influenced the modern residents of San Marcos? Create a timeline of San Marcos history, to include the different cultures you learned about. 5
Read about Texas State University s most famous graduate, President Lyndon Baines Johnson. How did his education at the university affect his career as a politician and eventually, President of the United States? What anecdotal stories can you find about him and his time at Texas State? Activity 3 Research the Indigenous Cultures Institute and learn about the Indigenous Coahuiltecan people. How long have Coahuiltecans inhabited the San Marcos area? What is the organization s goals for their heritage and the environment, and how do they achieve those goals? What types of programs can you and your troop participate in to learn more about Coahuiltecan heritage? Learn about the Coahuiltecans 5 spirit animal guardians. What does each animal represent? Why do the Coahuiltecan believe the Sacred Springs are sacred? How do Coahuiltecans honor the Sacred Springs today? Write and perform a play or poem about the spirit animal guardians and the Sacred Springs. Write a journal entry from the view point of a Coahuiltecan child living near the San Marcos River before it was discovered by Europeans. What types of clothing did you wear? What types of food did you eat, and how did you obtain it? Activity 6 *Learn the Coahuiltecan song, Remember the Sacred Springs, and teach it to a younger group of Girl Scouts or other children. Activity 7 *Attend the Sacred Springs Powwow or the Indigenous Arts Summer Camp. 6
RESOURCES o http://www.mermaidsocietysmtx.com/ o http://www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu/ o http://www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu/service/texasstreamteam.html o http://sanmarcosriver.org/ o https://www.fws.gov/southwest/fisheries/san_marcos/ o http://sanmarcosriver.org/ o http://www.toursanmarcos.com/attractions/outdoors/san-marcos-river.html o http://www.texaswatersafari.org/ o http://www.heritagesanmarcos.org/ o http://www.indigenouscultures.org/index.html 7
Please print: Name Date Address Apt # City State Zip code Phone Girl Scout Troop # Program Age Level Council Service Unit Quantity of Patches X _$ / patch= $ To receive your Mermaid Society SMTX SPLASH Guardian patches, please submit request form, completed program evaluation form, and check made out to Mermaid Society SMTX to: Mermaid Society SMTX P.O. Box 963 San Marcos, Texas 78667 For questions, please contact Marieta Hutchinson (830) 620-8948 or marieta1121@gmail.com 8
Name: Age/Grade: Troop Number: Troop Leader: Thank you for participating in the Mermaid Society SMTX s SPLASH Guardian Patch Program! We hope you learned a lot and are excited about river and community guardianship as we are. Please take time to complete this 2-page evaluation. This must be completed and turned in to Marieta Hutchison to receive your patch. You may include this form with your patch order form, or email to marieta1121@gmail.com. Congratulations and thank you again for co-creating a sustainable shared well-being by earning the SPLASH Guardian Patch. Mermaid Chat Questions What is the name of the body of water the San Marcos River flows from? Where is it located? How many years has it been continuously inhabited? Over years. What is the name of the Indigenous Peoples that inhabited the Sacred Springs? _ What are the words of the Coahuiltecan song (in English) you were taught about the Springs? Name 5 of the 8 Endangered Species: 9
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Name 3 of the 5 Don t(s) of River and Endangered Species Conservation: 1. 2. 3. Name 3 of the Do(s) of River and Endangered Species Conservation: 1. 2. 3. What is Maya the Mermaid s unique job title (besides being a guardian of the river)? _ Write each required (starred) item(s) you completed from each category of SPLASH acronym. Stewardship Preservation Local Arts Sustainability Heritage Write a paragraph on how earning the SPLASH Guardian Patch has changed your behavior. 10
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