Commissioner Kari Steele with Faith in Place

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Faith in Place empowers Illinois people of all faiths to be leaders in caring for the Earth, providing resources to educate, connect, and advocate for healthier communities.

Since 1999, Faith in Place has worked with over 1,000 houses of worship throughout Illinois to protect our common land, air, and water. With outreach staff working across the state and offices located in Chicago, Lake County, and Central Illinois, Faith in Place inspires faithful people to care for the Earth through four program areas: Energy & Climate Change, Sustainable Food & Land Use, Water Preservation, and Advocacy.

Fox 32 Interview of Commissioner Kari K. Steele in September of 2016.  Tammie Souza, Meteorologist at Fox 32, interviewed Commissioner Kari K. Steele, Rev. Luther C. Mason of Greenstone United Methodist Church, and Ramont Bell, Outreach Coordinator Water Preservation at Faith In Place.

 

 

MWRD and STEM at the Museum of Science and Industry

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Sixth grade students from Lawndale Elementary Community Academy and Adam Clayton Powell  Jr., Paideia Academy visited MWRD staff at the Museum of Science and Industry’s (MSI’s) Black Creativity Jr. Science Café program designed to expose underserved communities to various Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers. MWRD Commissioner Kari Steele explained her background as a chemist and provided an overview of the purpose of water reclamation and the role of the MWRD in cleaning water. Mi-crobiologist Auralene Toni Glymph and chemist Tiffany Poole gave hands-on demonstrations.

 

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Commissioner Kari Steele Museum of Science and Industry – Jr. Science Cafe

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Black Creativity 2017

Inspire youth what it’s really like to be a scientist, engineer or innovator!  In order to provide exposure for African-American youth to careers, educational pathways and other opportunities in science, technology, engineering medicine and mathematics, the Museum is hosting a series of Jr. Science Cafes in celebration of Black Creativity. We are looking for passionate African-American professionals to inspire youth about cool jobs and hot careers in STEM!

What are Jr. Science Cafés?

Jr. Science Cafés are small, focused sessions that offer youth the exciting opportunity to interact directly with working STEM professionals while exploring scientific topics and discoveries in the world around us. During these conversations, students will challenge their own scientific curiosity and uncover the lives of scientists through active participation. These learning experiences change the traditional perception of a “real” scientist by engaging scientists of diverse ages, backgrounds, interests, and career paths. This program series aims to send the message that anyone can pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or medicine!

Who is the audience?

Jr. Science Cafés are intended for middle and high school students 10 to 18 years old; this is a critical age range during which youth make important decisions about post-secondary education and career paths. Jr. Science Cafés are offered to school groups visiting the Museum. Youth primarily come from Chicago PublicSchools as well as public and private schools from the greater Chicago area, northwest Indiana and Wisconsin. The capacity per session is 35 people.

What is the format of a Jr. Science Café?

Each Jr. Science Café is focused on a topic designed to hook youth audiences based on their interests. The topic also relates directly to the specific work of the professional and his/her pathway to the career. Speakers give a brief presentation on the kind of work they do and their education and career path. Speakers are encouraged to lead a demonstration, hands-on exercise, or interactive activity that encourages participation while highlighting the professional’s career and experience. Questions and discussion are encouraged throughout the session to promote comfortable, informal conversations. Jr. Science Cafés are not formal lectures – the Cafés are designed to be casual and dynamic so that youth can have fun while learning about STEM content and careers!

MWRD awards demonstrate excellent financial reporting system

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For yet another year, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has proven its commitment to accurate and transparent accounting practices. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) applauded the MWRD commissioners and staff with numerous awards for budgeting and financial reporting for the MWRD and its retirement portfolio.
The GFOA awarded the MWRD with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2016 Budget and Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the MWRD, the MWRD Retirement Fund and to the MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust for the Fiscal Year 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR).
“I would like to thank the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for this honor and thank our staff for their diligence in accurately and transparently reporting our finances,” said MWRD Chairman of Finance Frank Avila.

MWRD soil enriches South Side community garden projects

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The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has formed a new partnership with an
urban gardening organization that will foster sustainable farming practices that will soon lead to a bountiful harvest.
The MWRD will provide its exceptional quality (EQ) composted biosolids to be incorporated at 72 community gardens overseen by the ChicaGRO Intergenerational Growing Projects organization.

The EQ biosolids are produced during the water treatment process by composting biosolids with woodchips,
which makes for an excellent soil enhancer. On May 14, the MWRD Commissioner Kari Steele and other
MWRD staff joined the ChicaGRO Intergenerational Growing Project as it turned a vacant South Chicago neighborhood lot into a backyard community garden. Located at 8450 S. Escanaba Ave., the garden will become a source of fresh produce for many residents living in what is considered a food desert.
“Because of partnerships like this, the sustainable practices started at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago can be transferred straight to our very own communities,” said Commissioner Steele, who was on hand to kick off the planting day event in South Chicago. “

Innovation of traditional technology sparks MWRD to channel cleaner Chicago waterways

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New disinfection technology from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) will push the Chicago region one step closer to direct contact of local waterways in time for boating recreation season. The MWRD Board of Commissioners, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, other elected officials, local leaders and representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gathered Wednesday to mark this new era of cleaner waterways with a ribbon cutting at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Skokie.

The MWRD’s O’Brien WRP introduced ultraviolet (UV) radiation to disinfect water as a final layer to its treatment
process to reduce pathogenic bacteria in the water being released from the plant into the North Shore Channel.

MWRD visit to Museum of Science and Industry sheds light on STEM careers and water treatment for future scientists

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Commissioner Kari Steele and staff brought a lesson of water treatment to students as part of a program at the Museum of Science and Industry, but it was a more valuable lifelong lesson that MWRD officials hope will inspire a future generation of scientists and engineers.
MWRD participated in the Jr. Science Café in celebration of Black Creativity 2016, a museum program that strives to expose African American youth to careers, education pathways and other opportunities in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEM) fields. Fourth-grade students from Benjamin Mays Elementary Academy had the opportunity to interact with scientists and African American STEM professionals from the MWRD in a casual but interactive setting.

In addition to Commissioner Steele, MWRD speakers included Senior Civil Engineer Raphael Frost, Senior Environmental Microbiologist Toni Glymph-Martin and Assistant Environmental Chemist Tiffany Poole, who gave the students a hands-on tutorial into the water treatment process. MWRD Maintenance and Operations workers Tony Quintanilla, Jim Landmichl and David Robertson assembled a miniature model water treatment process for display.

 

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Water supplied by MWRD volunteers aids Great Lakes neighbors in Flint

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With protecting and improving local water quality at the epicenter of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD’s) daily mission, it came as startling news to hear about the crisis of contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. Rather than ignore the issue, MWRD commissioners and staff felt beholden to act.

In a little over a week, MWRD employees worked with the MWRD Credit Union to raise more than $6,500. They used the money to donate and personally deliver nearly 37,000 bottles of water and presented a check of $3,000 to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint.
“We are happy to lend a hand during times of need,” said MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos. “As one of the largest water resource agencies in the Midwest, commissioners and staff at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago felt that it was our responsibility to assist our Great Lakes neighbors in Flint.”

President Spyropoulos, Vice President Barbara McGowan and Commissioner Kari Steele and 16 MWRD staff, friends and family delivered the water bottles to the Food Bank and also joined the U.S. National Guard and American Red Cross in distributing cases of water to residents in need at a local fire station.

 

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Commissioners honored for efforts to improve water quality

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) President Mariyana Spyropoulos, Vice President Barbara McGowan and Commissioners Josina Morita, Debra Shore, and Kari K. Steele were honored by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Freshwater Lab on May 10 at a reception held at the Shedd Aquarium. The reception was a highlight of a two-day summit called “Untrouble the Waters” that was dedicated to bringing mayors, local leaders, and researchers together to envision and launch projects that benefit communities and watersheds.

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