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Grantee Spotlight: The Watersmith Guild

December 17, 2024  |  adventure recreation, community film festivals, documentary filmmaking, environmental filmmaking, environmental stewardship, holistic grantmaking, paddleboarding, river sports, watershed conservation, watersmith guild, western pennsylvania
A group of young people in helmets and PFDs stand with their arms around each other
Photo courtesy of the Watersmith Guild

The Watersmith Guild works at the intersection of outdoor adventure, environmental stewardship, and youth voice. Students in Watersmith Guild programs learn about river surfing and stand-up paddle boarding, giving them valuable time on local rivers to deepen their sense of connection and care for waterways in western Pennsylvania. Students also learn about watershed conservation issues like microplastics pollution. They conduct conservation projects and create documentary films to share their efforts with other people in their communities. 

A young person stands on a paddle board in a rapid
Photo by Renee Rosensteel, courtesy of the Watersmith Guild

NRF funding supports the First Waves initiative, which provides access to Watersmith Guild programming at no cost to youth or their families. Support from NRF helped the Watersmith Guild boost First Waves participants from just over 100 kids in 2023 to almost 250 kids in 2024. This included an expansion of the program into four new communities, all of which are facing environmental justice issues tied to their waterways. About 70% of youth participants are kids of color and 100% of participants come from economically underserved communities. We’re proud to be part of the effort that has allowed the Watersmith Guild to expand its work and serve even more young people. 

A group of kids kneel on the ground holding go-pro cameras
Photo by Jared Wickerham, courtesy of the Watersmith Guild

Not all of the success of First Waves, however, can be captured in numbers. What youth have to say about their experience is just as valuable as statistics. For example, one participant reflected on their time with First Waves saying, “Paddleboarding was something I never thought I’d do, but it was so much fun. The surveys we did were also really important, and I learned how crucial they are to understanding the health of our rivers…The filmmaking aspect of the program helped me visualize these experiences for others who might never get to see them.”

A yound person squats, studying tweezers in front of them
Photo by Renee Rosensteel, courtesy of the Watersmith Guild

As this participant notes, paddle sports are a fun and exciting way to engage kids on the river, but documentary filmmaking is also a crucial component of what makes the Watersmith Guild effective. Often, young people in marginalized communities don’t have opportunities to raise their voices and feel heard. Filmmaking gives youth a chance to highlight their perspectives about environmental issues in their communities. Film festivals featuring youth work also help raise awareness of watershed conservation issues among adults in western Pennsylvania. 

A young person stands in a river holding a net in the water
Photo courtesy of the Watersmith Guild

Of course, intersectional work like this requires a wide range of skillsets. Watersmith Guild staff and volunteers have to hold expertise in river safety, paddling instruction, youth engagement, documentary filmmaking, and environmental science. This means that expansion requires an investment in program infrastructure, including staffing. NRF is proud to partner with the Watersmith Guild through holistic grantmaking that supports everything from staff salaries to equipment to keep kids safe on the river. We can’t wait to see where the Watersmith Guild goes next!