WHO: It takes a village to organize and implement this award-winning event that serves nearly 4,500 students accompanied by more than 450 teachers and chaperones. The students are from approximately 60 different Orange County schools that represent 21 cities throughout the county. Nearly 30 public and private sponsors help to make the event possible. Throughout the two-day event, hundreds of dedicated volunteers help make it come to life, along with nearly 50 public and private organizations that provide interactive educational presentations to the students. The individuals who lead the presentations are experts from local and state water agencies and renowned organizations such as Disneyland Resort; Columbia Memorial Space Center; Stephanie Arnie, accomplished wildlife conservationist and the former host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom; Kevin J. DeBruin, former NASA rocket scientist and author.
WHAT: The nation’s largest water education festival will celebrate its 26th anniversary of educating students about water and the environment. The Children’s Water Education Festival is a free field trip for Orange County’s third, fourth, and fifth-grade students. Hosted by the Orange County Water District (OCWD), it is a two-day event that has educated more than 142,000 students since its inception.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 29,
and Thursday, March 30, 2023,
from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: The Festival will take place, rain or shine, at the University of California, Irvine, inside Aldrich Park.
This may be the first time many of these elementary students visit a university campus.
WHY: The Festival is hosted to educate students about local water issues and helps them understand how they can protect water supplies and the environment. These topics are vital as California endures cyclical drought and a limited water supply. It is essential to invest in educating the next generation of leaders to solve these environmental challenges.
HOW: The Festival is a highly structured event. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and every 30 minutes thereafter, classes rotate to a different activity, which a representative from the participating public and private organizations teaches. Each class engages in approximately six activities throughout the day. The activity curriculum corresponds with Next Generation Science Standards.
@childrenswatereducationfestival
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The Orange County Water District is committed to enhancing Orange County’s groundwater quality and reliability in an environmentally friendly and economical manner. The following cities rely on the groundwater basin, managed by OCWD, to provide 85% of their water demands: Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda. For more information about OCWD, please visit www.ocwd.com.
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Categories: Education, Local Government, Local News
