{"id":24,"date":"2013-11-10T21:46:41","date_gmt":"2013-11-10T21:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lscwatershed.org\/?page_id=24"},"modified":"2026-03-16T17:42:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T22:42:05","slug":"qv-creeker-internship","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/?page_id=24","title":{"rendered":"QV Creeker Internship"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Since the fall of 2009, Little Sewickley Creek Watershed Association has sponsored an after-school environmental science internship for Quaker Valley High School students. Interns work in collaboration with environmental educators from Fern Hollow Nature Center and Creek Connections of Allegheny College to monitor both biologically and chemically Little Sewickley Creek and its tributaries.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/LSCWA_Summer_Intern_2019.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Application for the 2019 Summer Internship can be downloaded here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-1474\" style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-107-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-1474 ml-slider has-dots-nav ms-theme-default-base\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"QV Creekers 3\" data-height=\"550\" data-width=\"700\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_1474\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_1474\">\n            <ul aria-live='off' class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1475 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:18:45\" data-filename=\"creekers_10082017-700x550.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/creekers_10082017-700x550.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1475 msDefaultImage\" title=\"creekers_10082017\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1476 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:19:14\" data-filename=\"woodland_ridge_bridge-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/woodland_ridge_bridge-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1476 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Fall 2013 - QV Creekers wait under the Woodland Road Bridge to begin netting and counting fish for their Fish Diversity study of Little Sewickley Creek.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1477 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:20:16\" data-filename=\"woodland_bridge_pool-700x550.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/woodland_bridge_pool-700x550.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1477 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Fall 2010 - QV Creekers net fish in a pool under the Woodland Road Bridge during the annual fish-shocking activity, part of their ongoing fish diversity study.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1478 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:20:35\" data-filename=\"waterquality-700x550.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/waterquality-700x550.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1478 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers Genevieve Abell, Katy Garvey, Ellie Johnston and Lauren Downing (2009) conduct water quality analysis using HACH kits on samples collected from two tributaries in Wagner\u2019s Hollow located in the northern branch of Little Sewickley Creek.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1479 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:20:55\" data-filename=\"hiller_hoey-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/hiller_hoey-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1479 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers Derek Hiller and Madeline Hoey take measurements for ALLARM sampling in the northern branch of the watershed near Barberry Road in the fall of 2013. \u00a0Monthly baseline water quality information is gathered through ALLARM testing which includes recording the TDS, conductivity, temperature, water level and surrogate flow (ft2) at each sample site in the watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1480 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:21:15\" data-filename=\"halcomb_veeck-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/halcomb_veeck-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1480 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers Annie Halcomb and Emily Veeck sort through macroinvertebrate leaf packs that were placed in the creek several weeks before the Fall 2013 creeker training event. This allowed creekers to see the various types of benthic macroinvertebrates that inhabit the creek. Several different leaf types were used.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1481 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:21:43\" data-filename=\"fish_study-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/fish_study-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1481 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Fall 2013 - QV Creekers study fish populations and diversity in Little Sewickley Creek during a fish shocking activity with Eric Chapman, Director of Aquatic Science with the Western PA Conservancy.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1482 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:22:01\" data-filename=\"fish_stocking-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/fish_stocking-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1482 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creeker Laura Kou (2013) works with Eric Chapman of Western PA Conservancy to measure Brown Trout caught on Little Sewickley Creek.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1483 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:22:31\" data-filename=\"depace_perez-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/depace_perez-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1483 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers Abbey Depace and Wilson Perez (2010) test the dissolved oxygen level of one of the creek samples.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1484 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:23:03\" data-filename=\"creekers_working-610x480.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/creekers_working-610x480.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1484 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Spring 2012 - QV Creekers working to clean up the Little Sewickley Creek watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1485 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:23:31\" data-filename=\"creekers_remove_debris-480x377.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/creekers_remove_debris-480x377.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1485 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Spring 2013 - QV Creekers remove debris and trash from a secluded and beautiful section of the Little Sewickley Creek watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1486 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:23:53\" data-filename=\"cover_boards-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/cover_boards-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1486 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Fall 2013 - QV Creekers check under carefully placed cover boards with program coordinator April Claus as part of an ongoing study of amphibian diversity within the Little Sewickley Creek watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1487 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:24:12\" data-filename=\"cleanup-610x480.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/cleanup-610x480.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1487 msDefaultImage\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1488 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:24:23\" data-filename=\"branby_tobias-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/branby_tobias-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1488 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Kurt Branby (Creek Connections \u2013 Allegheny College) helps Creekers Christian Tobias and Daniel Frishkorn (2013) to test the alkalinity level in a sample from Little Sewickley Creek. \u00a0The QV Creekers monitor 5 different sites throughout the watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1489 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 15:24:49\" data-filename=\"bablik_zapparo-687x540.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/bablik_zapparo-687x540.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1474 slide-1489 msDefaultImage\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers, Hannah Bablak, Mimi Zipparo and Colby Schmitt help Amy Miller (Watershed Specialist with Allegheny County Conservation District) to test the oxygen levels in the salamander ponds in the Fall of 2013. \u00a0Amy Miller has been instrumental in helping QV Creekers with water quality testing throughout the watershed.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As part of learning to be stewards of the Little Sewickley Creek watershed, the student interns work with other local environmental groups to organize events and projects of benefit to the creek and watershed alike: tree planting, erosion control projects, invasive plant removal, reptile and amphibian surveys, creek clean-ups, fish species population counts, trout stocking among others.<\/p>\n<p>Participants also learn by working with environmental professionals in the fields of biology, botany, geology herpetology (study of amphibians), ichthyology (fish zoology), aquatic ecology, and environmental science. The interns also serve as \u201cwatershed educators or mentors\u201d in delivering the creek programs every spring to all 5th grade students in our district.<\/p>\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-1491\" style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-107-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-1491 ml-slider has-dots-nav ms-theme-default-base\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"QV Creekers 2\" data-height=\"550\" data-width=\"700\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_1491\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_1491\">\n            <ul aria-live='off' class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1492 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:34:35\" data-filename=\"upclose-girls-and-owl-599x470.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/upclose-girls-and-owl-599x470.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1492 msDefaultImage\" title=\"upclose girls and owl\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1493 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:35:10\" data-filename=\"looking-at-creek-618x486.jpeg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/looking-at-creek-618x486.jpeg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1493 msDefaultImage\" title=\"looking at creek\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Jovanna Valladares (2009) searches for macro invertebrates clinging to the underside of rocks in a tributary to Little Sewickley Creek near Walker Park.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1494 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:35:46\" data-filename=\"creekers_work-418x328.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/creekers_work-418x328.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1494 msDefaultImage\" title=\"creekers_work\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1495 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:36:01\" data-filename=\"creekers_examine-425x333.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/creekers_examine-425x333.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1495 msDefaultImage\" title=\"creekers_examine\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1496 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:36:26\" data-filename=\"Creek-Connections-symposium-2011-045-460x362.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Creek-Connections-symposium-2011-045-460x362.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1496 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Creek Connections symposium 2011 045\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>QV Creekers (Derek Hiller and Eric Bergdoll) enjoy \u00a0fun outdoor activities, such as canoeing, after the Creek Connections symposium in 2011.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1497 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2026-03-16 17:37:01\" data-filename=\"Creek-Connections-symposium-2011-001-444x349.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Creek-Connections-symposium-2011-001-444x349.jpg\" height=\"550\" width=\"700\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-1491 slide-1497 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Creek Connections symposium 2011 001\" \/><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Each year, the interns develop and design a group research project- to include setting up experiments, collecting and analyzing data for presentation at the annual Creek Connections meeting of Allegheny College. This symposium draws students from all over southwestern Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p>Students who complete the requirements of the year\u2019s internship receive \u00bd elective academic credit through Quaker Valley School District. The group is known as the &#8220;QV Creekers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For additional information about QV Creekers or to speak with April Claus, program manager, send an email to\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:fhncnaturalist@verizon.net\">fhncnaturalist@verizon.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/qvcreekers.blogspot.com\/\">QV Creekers Blog<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/QVCreekers\">QV Creekers FaceBook<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h6>Last updated: March 16, 2026 at 17:42 pm<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since the fall of 2009, Little Sewickley Creek Watershed Association has sponsored an after-school environmental science internship for Quaker Valley High School students. Interns work in collaboration with environmental educators from Fern Hollow Nature Center and Creek Connections of Allegheny <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/?page_id=24\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":29,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1498,"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24\/revisions\/1498"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/29"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lscwatershed.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}