Oct. 8, 2008

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--The University of West Alabama will host more than 500 fourth-graders Tuesday, Oct. 21, for the sixth annual Sumter/Marengo Water Festival. The students from Marengo and Sumter county schools will participate in classroom sessions and hands-on activities focusing on groundwater, the hydrologic cycle and the importance of water to all life.

“The students will learn where their drinking water comes from and how to protect it and keep it clean for themselves and future generations,” said Allen Tartt, director of UWA’s Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association Training Center.

Tartt says the success of the Sumter/Marengo Water Festival has prompted other West Alabama counties to contact UWA about implementing the program in their communities.

“With five previous Water Festivals under our belt, we’ve educated nearly 3,000 kids from Sumter and Marengo counties,” he said. “As a result of our efforts and the success of the Water Festival concept in other areas of the state, thousands of fourth-graders are being reached through this important and fun educational experience each year, helping them to become better stewards of Alabama’s abundant water resources.”

Local students will learn about the relationships between plants, wildlife, soil and water during fun interactive activities and classroom sessions.

“We want to teach them how human actions affect all nature, including our water, and about the need for responsible conservation of our natural resources,” Tartt said.

Organizers have planned several experiments and demonstrations to help the children grasp the environmental concepts of water. The most popular activity each year continues to be the edible aquifer.

“The aquifers have layers of ice cream, chocolate syrup, sprinkles and more. After the children build them, they get to eat them so everyone loves that activity,” said Tartt.

After the morning sessions, comedian and “rockin’ eco-hero” Steve Trash will conduct a magic show tailored to this age group. Trash, who has taken his act across the globe, will perform magic tricks with garbage and teach the students about ecology in his entertaining style.

Each student, teacher and volunteer will also receive the official Water Festival T-shirt, featuring the annual T-shirt competition’s winning design. The winning designer and his teacher will both receive a $50 prize at the festival. In addition, each teacher will receive a bag filled with free posters, booklets and other environmental education materials.

Participating schools from Sumter County include Kinterbish, Livingston, North Sumter, York West End and Sumter Academy. Marengo County schools attending the festival are Amelia Johnson, John Essex, Linden, Marengo County, Sweet Water, U.S. Jones and Marengo Academy.

Water festival partners include the UWA College of Education, Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District, Tombigbee Resource Conservation & Development Council, Sumter County Water Authority, Sumter County Extension Service, Alabama Farmers Federation, Alabama Power and the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee. Together they hope to foster a general environmental awareness and stewardship ethic in the children.

For more information about the Sumter/Marengo Water Festival or to volunteer, contact Allen Tartt at 205-652-3803 or atartt@uwa.edu.