​Water
SWPPP Internship Program
  • Our flagship program with over nine active programs in 2017-18
  • Sample, analyze and study pollutants on their school campus using industry-approved methods
  • Partner with local water districts to study impact of findings 
  • Craft recommendations to improve conditions and present to district and community
Water Management Internship Program
  • Audit water use on campus and in community
  • Study use of all types of water: potable, reclaimed, stormwater, sewer water,
  • Partner with local water districts to investigate use patterns 
  • Build best practices recommendations to optimize the value of water


​WASTE REDUCTIoN & diversion
BCK's student-led waste diversion program is a powerful tool to reduce significant amounts of waste and meet sustainability needs while introducing students to career paths in growing areas of environmental management.
OC Recycles
At Oak Crest Middle School, students in the "OC Recycles" program audit waste trends on their campus and discuss suggestions in a formalize debate setting. This program is run entirely by students in an 8th grade basic English class, enabling these students to take on a leadership role on their campus. 
RAD at Digeuño
Digueño Middle School provides the "Recycling at Digueño" program weekly to 8th grade students in one particular history class during bonus time.   Students map the trash and recycling bins on their campus, audit use patterns and provide feedback to the school administration based on their findings.  


​OUTDOOR LEARNING
Garden Science & Nutrition
BCK’s garden-based nutrition program includes a hands-on curriculum and community engagement to extend and connect learning to families and the greater community.
  • Hands-in-the-dirt garden classes for every grade
  • Garden beds and maintenance plans (as needed)
  • Healthy eating habits and their importance
  • Fruit or vegetable tasting and nutrient discussion
  • ​Each class creates healthy recipes that are collected in a recipe book for the school site/district
  • Take-home materials with every lesson including nutrition facts, recipes and tips for including healthy food into daily eating habits
  • Community outreach activities 

Outdoor Classrooms
  • Transform green areas on campus into biomes and natural habitats for extended learning. Students study conditions (including sunlight patterns and current irrigation systems) and develop plan. Curriculum can extend to plan for entire school with curriculum tailored for multiple levels for continued learning. 
  • School-wide Habitat Design Challenge 
  • Sensory Garden for Special Education classes to explore 


​Energy
BCK's student-directed energy conservation program uses project-based learning to address real-world challenges while providing science instruction, environmental education and a glimpse into the sustainable energy industry, a thriving job market. ​ By installing facility upgrades and implementing a handful of best practices, schools can conserve energy and realize measurable savings. In addition to saving money, these energy efficiencies reduce the school’s carbon footprint.

BCK's Energy Education Program has four basic components:
  1. Energy Audit: Students measure energy and calculate the energy consumption at their school site.
  2. Best Practice Analysis: Students study cutting-edge energy efficiency technologies, renewable energy and behavioral changes that lead to energy conservation.
  3. Conservation Campaign Development:  Students research and compile data to make efficiency recommendations to School Board and Facilities Department. Students create a school-wide conservation campaign to encourage behavioral changes that conserve energy.
  4. Community Outreach:  Students share knowledge and best practices with school community and other local businesses and organizations. 

Our MANAGEMENT Team

Bill Dean 
Bill has a wide variety of experience in the environmental field.  Bill began by implementing recycling programs throughout the region while working for a Southern California waste and recycling company and as then oversaw all environmental compliance issues at eight locations in Southern California as Environmental Compliance Director.  More recently, Bill was Managing Director for a San Diego-based environmental non-profit.  

In the spring of 2013 one of Bill’s programs, “Where You Live”, received CalRecycle’s statewide award for innovation. Then in the fall of 2013, Bill created and began the SWPPP Internship™Program.  In 2016 SWPPP internship received the "Outstanding Stormwater News, Information, Outreach and Media Project" from the California Stormwater Quality Association.  Most recently Bill arranged for a group of 5th and 6th grade SWPPP Interns to present to the California State Water Board and demonstrate the capabilities and importance of young voices participating in the efforts to improve water quality.  Today, the Encinitas Union School District has an active SWPPP in place at every school site and is meeting or exceeding typical MS4 permit requirements.

Together with Camille Sowinski and Kathy Hacker, ​Bill formed BCK Programs, LLC in 2017 to further expand environmental programming.
Camille Sowinski
Camille attended the University of California, Los Angeles and graduated from Vermont Law School, where she focused her studies on environmental law. After graduating law school, Camille spent the next 10 years in the nonprofit sector working in fundraising for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and for Scripps Health in San Diego, California. Since 2007, Camille has been creating environmental education programs and implementing best green practices for local schools and community groups. She co-founded  Healthy Day Partners, a Southern California-based environmental nonprofit that played a key role in advancing the green school movement.

​In addition to being a managing partner of BCK, she is the primary Green Consultant to the Encinitas Union School District, helping to manage facility upgrades and educational sustainability efforts.
Kathy Hacker
Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After nearly a decade of experience in water resource engineering and environmental remediation, Kathy’s passion for environmental education led her to pursue a Masters in Education and Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from the University of California, San Diego. 

Her experience in education began as a volunteer, where she spearheaded the Garden Science Program at El Camino Creek Elementary, which was awarded Outstanding Educational Program in 2014. Kathy has served as the school's Garden Science Coordinator and volunteered at the district level as Chairperson of the District Green Team.

Kathy has been involved with SWPPP Internship™Program since its inception in 2013. In addition to being a managing partner of BCK Programs and a SWPPP Internship™ Project Manager, she oversees education and curriculum development.

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