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Department of Ecology News Release - September 20, 2001
01-162
OLYMPIA - More than 1,000 fourth- and fifth-graders from three Clark County school districts will learn first-hand how to conserve water, energy and habitat for fish and wildlife at this year's Columbia River Watershed Festival.
The event takes place at the Vancouver Water Resources Education Center on Sept. 20-21.
Participating students will come from Vancouver, Evergreen, and Battle Ground school districts.
"Conserving all of our resources is the major theme for the festival this year, but water conservation will be emphasized because of this year's drought," said Bev Walker, an educator and event organizer with the Water Resources Center.
Fun, interactive activities will help students learn to use less water in and around their homes. Through educational play activities, students also will learn the relationship between water and energy and why the three R's (reduce, re-use, recycle) are important, Walker said.
Some highlights of this year's festival will be the "As the Faucet Turns" and "Ripple Wave" assembly programs, as well as Eartha the Ecological Clown.
"It is our hope that students walk away understanding why it is so important to use less today so there will be resources here in the future," Walker added. "If students leave the festival with just two ways that they could use less, it would be a wonderful thing."
The local water festival incorporates the national "Make A Splash Festival" student activities from the state's Project WET environmental education curriculum, said Rhonda Hunter, environmental education manager with the state Department of Ecology.
According to Hunter, "Water education is essential to understand where our water comes from and where it goes. We depend on enough clean water for our health, homes, crops, industry, transportation, salmon and more. At the same time, we affect our water in many ways we may not realize. This festival is a great way to learn better water stewardship."
Students will not be the only ones doing learning, teachers will learn activities they can take back to their classrooms, Hunter said.
The event corresponds with National Water Education Day on Sept. 21.
The festival is sponsored by the city of Vancouver, Clark County, Clark Public Utilities, Department of Ecology, the Environmental Information Cooperative, Metro Greenspaces and Perrier Group of America.
The Water Resources Education Center is located at 4600 S.E. Columbia Way in Vancouver and is operated by the city of Vancouver.
Note to news reporters: News organizations are invited to the Water Resources Education Center on Friday, Sept. 21, between 9:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. for a photo opportunity with students and for interviews with educators. Contact Sandy Howard for assistance at 360-407-6239, or page her at 360-786-3136.Directions for the Water Resources Education Center
From I-5 north or south: take the Camas Highway 14 exit east. Within a quarter-mile, take Exit 1 south. Travel under the railroad berm. At the traffic signal, turn east onto Columbia Way. Travel to the end of the road. Turn north at the traffic circle and follow the drive around the fountain to the Water Center parking lot.
From I-205 north or south: take the Vancouver/Highway 14 exit. Travel approximately 4 miles to Columbia House Boulevard, Exit 1. Travel west to the freeway underpass intersection. Turn south to Columbia Shores. Travel under the railroad berm. At the traffic signal, turn east onto Columbia Way. Travel to the end of the road. Turn north at traffic circle and follow the drive around the fountain to the Water Center parking lot.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
