|
October 11, 2005
LIVINGSTON,
Ala.—The University of
West Alabama will host approximately 700 fourth
graders for the third annual Sumter/Marengo Water
Festival on the UWA campus Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005.
The students from Marengo and Sumter county schools
will participate in classroom session and hands-on
activities focusing on groundwater, the hydrologic
cycle and the importance of water to all life.
Sponsors including UWA,
the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation
District, public utilities and local schools hope to
foster a general environmental awareness and
stewardship ethic in the children.
“Students will learn
about the relationships between plants, wildlife,
soil and water,” said Water Festival organizer Alan
Tartt. “We want to teach them how human actions
affect our water and all nature and about the need
for responsible conservation of our natural
resources.”
Organizers have planned
several experiments and demonstrations that help the
children grasp the environmental concepts of water.
The most popular activity at past Water Festivals,
the edible aquifer, will probably prove to be a hit
this year as well.
“The aquifers have
layers of ice cream, chocolate syrup, sprinkles and
more. After the children build them, they get to eat
them. 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.
Prior to this year’s
festival, each fourth grader will have the
opportunity to design a T-shirt for the event. The
winning design will appear on the official Water
Festival T-shirts, distributed to all students,
teachers and volunteers. The winning student and his
or her teacher will each receive a $50 cash prize.
Each teacher will also receive free posters,
booklets and other environmental education materials
at the festival.
For more information
about the Sumter/Marengo Water Festival or to
volunteer, contact Alan Tartt at
atartt@uwa.edu or 205-652-3803.
|
