May 14, 2012 - 20th annual Boulder Water Festival teaches students how to conserve and protect water

Media Contacts:
Nick Grossman, Public Works, 303-441-3005
Sarah Huntley, Media Relations, 303-441-3155
www.bouldercolorado.gov

20^th annual Boulder Water Festival teaches students how to conserve and protect water

More than 1,100 4^th and 5^th grade students from 45 classrooms in 17 Boulder area schools will participate in the 20^th annual Boulder Water Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, at the University Memorial Center (UMC) on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus, 1669 Euclid Ave.

The nationally recognized water festival engages local students in hands-on activities about where Boulder’s drinking water comes from and how to protect and conserve this valuable natural resource. Students attend a series of classes to discover the geography, history, and science of water; explore the Boulder Creek watershed and its geology; and study the animals and plants that rely on water for survival.

Participating classes also complete the “Operation: Water Festival” program, a standards-based series of pre-festival classroom learning activities. The program provides a complete teacher’s packet featuring lesson guides, student worksheets and trivia questions for each water topic. Topics include fundamental water awareness, conservation, pollution prevention and flooding. Student “Water Agents” receive a certificate upon completion of the classroom activities.

A key benefit of the “Operation: Water Festival” materials is a take-home book for families. The book encourages students to work with family members to complete activities related to local water resources, conservation and protection.

“Students really have a complete learning experience,” said Samantha Messier, science director for the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD). “This provides a great learning tool to help students learn about one of our most important natural resources in Colorado.”

The Boulder Water Festival will commemorate its 20^th anniversary as part of the statewide celebration of 2012, The Year of Water in Colorado. Nearly 19,000 BVSD and Boulder area students have participated in the festival since its inception in 1992.

Festival sponsors include the City of Boulder, the Keep it Clean Partnership, Northern Water, the UMC, CU Boulder’s  Office of Community Relations and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

For more information, contact Curry Rosato, City of Boulder watershed outreach coordinator, at 303-829-9316.

Last Updated on Friday, 15 June 2012 07:44