Learning Center Education Programs
Each week throughout the summer one or more programs are offered at the Rocky Reach. Taught by visitor center staff, these classes are tailored for the grade school scientist. Classes are 60 minutes in length.
We invite you to one of the most exciting and innovative interpretive museums in the West, the Rocky Reach Museum of the Columbia, located on the fourth floor of the Rocky Reach Dam powerhouse. It shows the West as it really was—settlers and Native Americans, steam boaters, lumbermen, railroaders in life-size photos. Stand inches away from a historical tramway reconstructed from original parts. Bring history alive by downloading our walking guide.
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival is a three-day natural resource education event held each fall to celebrate the return of the salmon to the Wenatchee River. The festival is held on the grounds of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, located at the mouth of the scenic Icicle Canyon near Leavenworth, Washington.
An exciting menu of hands-on activities and "edutainment" gives visitors a unique opportunity to discover and appreciate the complexities of the natural world and the significance of salmon to people of the Northwest. Students from schools throughout North Central Washington visit the festival during the two special school days. On Saturday and Sunday the event attracts thousands of visitors from the Northwest. For more information, visit the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival website.
Chelan County PUD participates in a unique educational partnership for grades K, 2 and 4, with three neighboring PUDs (Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan) and the North Central Educational Service District. The program is supported by hands-on science activities and teacher training. In the past year, over 400 teachers in the four-county ESD service area received information about the science programs; 11,000 students learned about electrical energy through the use of over 400 educational kits. Teacher surveys indicate strong support for these programs.
The PUD contracts with the North Central Educational Service District to present a comprehensive electrical safety and education program to all third graders in the county, which includes 39 public school classes and two private schools. Each year, over 1,200 students attend an hour-long presentation featuring "Hazard Hamlet" -- an energized safety demonstration board with figurines exposed to various electrical hazards. Children see firsthand what can happen when safety rules are not followed. The program includes bilingual study and testing materials, including a home safety review to be conducted with parents.
The PUD helped develop an exciting curriculum for schools in North Central Washington. The "River of Power" program is part of the curriculum at elementary schools in Wenatchee, Eastmont, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Entiat, Chelan and Manson school districts, as well as some private schools in the area. The program was deleveloped jointly by Wenatchee School District and Chelan PUD. Information about power generation, the Columbia River and migrating salmon is integrated into math and social studies classes. The program culminates each year with more than 1,000 fourth-graders coming to Rocky Reach Dam to learn about hydropower, dams and Columbia River history.
The Foundation for Water and Energy Education (FWEE) provides balanced information to help the general public make informed choices. Anyone interested in water and energy issues may purchase materials through the Foundation. Check out the Foundation's website.