LWTech News

Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) is proud to announce that it is now a certified affiliate of Bee Campus USA. This initiative will offer valuable research opportunities for students while helping make the campus more pollinator friendly. 

Sally Heilstedt, Dean of Instruction for Basic & General Education at LWTech, reflects on the challenges faculty face when teaching about environmental sustainability and climate justice. She also notes that becoming a Bee Campus offers a great opportunity for both students and faculty, providing hands-on learning experiences across a range of programs—from arts and biology to early childhood education. 

“A number of programs are really interested in working with the pollinator gardens and education around native pollinators and plants,” Heilstedt says. “Students in ENVS& 101 Introduction to Environmental Science are already studying soil quality and biodiversity at our first site—a project that will include different students across multiple quarters. The Environmental Horticulture students are helping the Environmental Sustainability Committee prepare and plant the first site, including designing plans for what to plant and where.” 

LWTech has already taken several steps to become a more environmentally friendly campus. We are planting more pollinator-friendly plants and maintaining our commitment to being pesticide-free. The Environmental Sustainability Committee is also excited to begin offering workshops and community experiences on how to make the city more welcoming and habitable for pollinators.