Coordinator:
Cindy Busche
Project WET Coordinator
projectwet [at] watereducation.org
208-608-7244

Meet Cindy:

Cindy Busche is the Environmental Education Coordinator at the Boise WaterShed Environmental Education Center, where the mission is to teach people of all ages how to protect and conserve water. Since the Boise WaterShed opened in 2008, Cindy has taught thousands of school-age students and adults, planned programs and events, including teacher workshops, and coordinated watershed-wide citizen science activities.

She earned her bachelor’s of science in Zoology and Anthropology at the University of Michigan. She has worked at numerous museums and zoos, including the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park and Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. In 2007, Cindy moved to Boise, Idaho—‘the most livable city in the country’—to raise a family and have close access to nature.

I’ve been a WET Coordinator for one month, but I have been a WET facilitator since January 2008. My favorite thing about WET Workshops are the interactive nature of the activities, the enthusiastic participants and creative ideas that are sparked during the workshops! A funny story related to a WET activity… while teaching Incredible Journey to young kids, we have heard them saying that processes in the water cycle include ‘Prostitution’ and ‘Transportation’!

My favorite WET Activity is "Sparkling Water." Although this is not included in the current Guide, it’s an ‘oldie but goody’ that we teach frequently at the Boise WaterShed since we are located at a sewage treatment facility. The ‘gross-factor’ really works in getting kids excited and engaged in learning about water treatment. The teams who win the challenges for certain categories receive Tootsie Rolls out of a toilet mug for their efforts!

I am a busy mom who works full time as an Education Coordinator at the Boise WaterShed Education Center and have two curious little boys, ages 3 and 6. My husband and I like to take the boys fishing and swimming in the Boise River and Idaho’s mountain lakes and streams. Every summer we float the Boise River, and we’re looking forward to when the boys are older to go white water rafting. I was born in Michigan, and my passion for water began with the Great Lakes. After graduating from the University of Michigan, I moved to sunny Southern California. After working at the Natural History Museum and San Diego Zoo, I moved to Idaho to start a family and fell in love with the amazing scenery and all of the opportunities Idaho provides.

I used to be an animal handler at the San Diego Zoo and later for a private exotic animal business. Once while transporting animals to a birthday party in Los Angeles, a wallaby hopped out of the van window into a busy intersection!  Luckily no one was harmed, and we got the wallaby back safely!