Avondale students exuberantly share the bracelets displaying their journeys as water droplets traversing the water cycle.
Thousands of school children throughout Arizona will get dramatic lessons on the importance of a critical and increasingly scarce natural resource with Project WET Water Festivals.
"Arizona Makes a Splash with Project WET Water Festivals" will reach some 5,000 youngsters in Avondale, Flagstaff, Prescott, Yuma, Sierra Vista, Safford and Tucson.
Arizona Project WET, part of the Water Resources Research Center at The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, manages the program around the state. Arizona Project WET, which stands for Water Education for Teachers, coordinates water festivals with community partners as part of the state’s Cooperative Extension Service.
The festivals use interactive, science-focused activities to engage students in learning about watersheds, ground water, conservation and the water cycle. Each activity is correlated to Arizona academic standards and addresses a crucial topic in water stewardship that addresses Arizona’s water challenges.
The goal is to instill in fourth graders an appreciation of water issues that will continue into their adult lives. Exposure to water education instills an awareness of and respect for water resources and encourages a lifelong commitment to thoughtful regard for these issues.
Generous sponsorship for the water festivals comes from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Salt River Project and Central Arizona Project, as well as corporate, water utilities and educational partners.
This is the seventh year that Arizona Project WET has held water festivals in Arizona.
Tucson regional festival information:
Sahuarita District Park, 15500 S. Sahuarita Park, Sahuarita
Sept. 12, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
720 students and 28 teachers will participate
Contact: Sandra Rode; 520-792-9591, ext. 24; srode@cals.arizona.edu
Eastern Arizona festival information:
Firth Park, Hwy. 70, Safford
Sept. 20, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
500 students and 20 teachers will participate
Contact: Liz Gonzalez; 928-348-3148, ext.349; lgonzalez@ci.safford.az.us
Northern Arizona festival information:
Thorp Ballfields, Flagstaff
Oct. 16, call for time
1000 students and 40 teachers will participate
Contact: Ellen Ryan; 928-213-4827; eryan@ci.flagstaff.az.us
Southern Arizona festival information:
Veterans Memorial Park, Sierra Vista
Oct. 19, call for time
500 students 20 teachers will particpate
Contact: Henrietta Huisking; 520-458-8278, ext. 2226; wwschool@Ag.arizona.edu
Phoenix Metro festival information:
Paseo Highlands Pinnacle Peak Rd. & 35th Ave., Phoenix
Nov. 6, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
1000 students and 35 teachers will participate
Contact: Mary Ann Stoll; 602-470-8086 ext. 813; mastoll@cals.arizona.edu
Western Arizona festival information:
Yuma, TBA
Nov. 8, call for time
500 students and 20 teachers will participate
Contact: Susanna Hitchcock; 928-373-4536; susanna.hitchcock@ci.yuma.az.us
For more information about Project Wet visit http://www.ag.arizona.edu/azwater/wet.
Tucson Regional Festival Information:
Sahuarita District Park, 15500 S. Sahuarita Park, Sahuarita, Ariz.
Sept. 12, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
720 students and 28 teachers will participate
Sandra Rode
UA Water Resources Research Center
520-792-9591, ext. 24
srode@cals.arizona.edu