The Watersmith Journal
First Waves Expansion and a New Home!
Since 2014, First Waves has empowered underserved youth with education, adventure, and mentorship that promotes watershed conservation and recreation. We are excited to announce that in 2022, First Waves will be expanding to regional programming that encompasses 4 projects across Pennsylvania. The projects will include the Greater Pittsburgh Region, Greater Johnstown Region, Indiana County, and Cambria County. The expansion will allow the initiatives to reach a greater number of youth in both urban and rural areas where access and educational opportunities are limited.
Furthermore, First Wave’s success and growth has always been facilitated through collaborations with other non-profit organizations such as the Benscreek Canoe Club, Tree Pittsburgh, and many others. Now, along with the program’s expansion to regional impacts, First Waves will become the flagship program of a new non-profit, The Watersmith Guild. Officially founded on Earth Day in 2021, the Watersmith Guild’s mission is to inspire watershed conservation and improve lives through arts and adventure programming.
First Waves Pittsburgh Official Film Release
A group of student's from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania work together to improve the watersheds in their community. They also learn the joys of river surfing, paddleboarding, and the art of filmmaking along the way. Watch their story and progression here.
Bonus: you've seen Charlie Batch throw touchdown passes for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but have you seen him riding a river wave on a surfboard? Check it out here!
Earth Day Video Premiere!
Let’s celebrate Earth Day with a surprise premiere of the First Waves Johnstown Project film from the Summer of 2020! Special thanks to the volunteers, mentors, and supporters that made this project possible. Enjoy the show!
Volunteer of the Year Announcement
Since its inception, First Waves has showcased film projects that highlight conservation efforts and youth mentorship at the Stonycreek Rendezvous every spring. The festival is the largest whitewater paddling event in the region and attracts thousands of people to Greenhouse Park, where most of the projects take place. The screenings also provide an opportunity to show appreciation for the sponsors and volunteers that make First Waves successful. Specifically, it’s a chance to recognize one individual for their exceptional work in youth mentorship and watershed conservation, and name them the First Waves Volunteer of the Year. In 2020, the pandemic thwarted the opportunity for large gatherings and the event was postponed. While we would have loved to announce the 2019 winner in person, we are taking the opportunity now to celebrate Jill Martin as the recipient of the award.
Adaptation - A Recap of First Waves 2020
The endeavor of running rivers, especially ones strewn with whitewater, is a practice in adaptation. The best looking lines don’t always work out, and plan B or C are often called on for relief. Something as small as a light bump with an unseen rock can alter a smooth descent into a sideways and backwards gauntlet like ballet in combat boots. While style and grace are admired, the important thing is getting to the bottom in one piece. In the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, education and youth experiences edged beyond a light bump with a stone. In many cases, it was as if the entire river disappeared beneath them. For the First Waves program to continue working with youth in the Johnstown area, the mindset of adaptability needed to be fully embraced.
Contours - Official Film Premiere
Contours is the latest film project by First Waves, a program that inspires conservation through the art of filmmaking and the pursuit of river surfing and paddleboarding.
Nature Works Film Screening and Youth Presentation
Despite the delay on future films, First Waves was able to have the first community screening of 2020 at the Nature Works event at Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center shortly before the pandemic arrived. The event attracted a standing-room only crowd at the Black Box Theater – the same venue where First Waves Johnstown youth have learned to compile the films since 2015. This year, we even had one student present his film and share his story with the crowd. Public speaking is one of the most feared actions in the world, but his willingness and excitement to share his film, “Above the River,” was truly inspirational.
Film Screening - NatureWorks
We are proud to announce the first First Waves film screening for 2020! We will be in the black box theater at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center as part of the Nature Works Event on Saturday, March 7th! For anyone interested in volunteering, mentoring, or getting involved - we will be doing a Q and A and information session after the short film.
UPSTREAM - Official Online Launch
A MUST WATCH! You can now view the First Waves film, Upstream, online. This film shows the devastating impact that pollution and industry can have on watersheds and outdoors recreation. It also shows the benefits of cleaner water and how First Waves’ students and volunteers are taking an active role in the Greater Johnstown region in order to influence a watershed that extends to Pittsburgh and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. Upstream is an inspiring showcase of how a group of kids can inspire all of us to get outside and protect the water that connects us all.
UPSTREAM - Film Premiere
The events of the First Waves Johnstown program in July of 2018 imbued a sense of urgency and amplified passion for everyone in attendance. A pollution event upstream of the program site resulted in water that was too tarnished to proceed with the paddleboarding and whitewater activities for local teens. Students that wouldn’t otherwise have the means or opportunities to experience the river were on deck for their first paddling experiences. Instead, they focused on the other aspect of the First Waves workshop – filmmaking. They learned to document what they were experiencing and create a film that could influence others to take an interest in watershed conservation. Their film, Upstream, does exactly that.