The University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene’s Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI) partnered with North Idaho College (NIC) to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Youth Water Summit. This annual event empowers high school students to investigate and address real-world water issues in their communities through hands-on research, innovation, and public presentation.
Students dive into water research with local experts
On May 21st, 2024, students from eight area high schools gathered for the 13th annual Youth Water Summit, a research fair where students present their water-related research as the culmination of a year-long program known as The Confluence Project. This initiative focuses on teaching students about the quantity and quality of water in the Idaho Panhandle.
There weren’t programs like this in schools in the past. This program is unique to North Idaho. The curriculum was created by graduate students at the University of Idaho. The TCP committee works with teachers in the Panhandle to prepare students with this curriculum, and then they accompany them on field trips offered throughout the year. Scientific experts help students collect accurate data and work with them understand its importance.
The experiential learning program helps high school students understand science in their watershed. It’s a partnership between University of Idaho, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Panhandle Health District.