The City of Hurricane is committed to increasing public awareness on the importance of protecting our waterways and reducing water pollution. Water can become contaminated when it flows over dirty surfaces or when someone dumps substances like oil, paint, or solvents directly into the storm drain system or other receptacles. As polluted runoff increases, so does the cost to manage it to safeguard public health. The City of Hurricane believes that through the hands-on, fun activities presented at water festivals our young people will learn about the interconnection of water, people, and water quality. Announcement The City of Hurricane, in cooperation with federal, state and local agencies invites teachers and students in the 5th grade to the: City of Hurricane Children’s Water Festival When: Friday, May 8, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Where: Putnam County Wave Pool #1 Valley Park Drive, Hurricane Registration information The festival is open to 5th grade students in Putnam County. The respective schools participating this year are Mountain View, West Teays, Lakeside, Scott Teays, and Hurricane Town. Lunch: Bring your lunch, please. Bottled water will be provided. Reminder: Please be cognizant to prepare your students for weather conditions. Also, make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Questions? Call or write: Ben Newhouse/Vanessa Ervin, City of Hurricane, 3255 Teays Valley Road, Hurricane, WV 25526. Tel: (304) 562-5896, Fax: (304) 562-5858. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] The Water Festival as an educational tool The Children’s Water Festival is designed to emphasize water education within a fun, interactive environment. The event consists of indoor and outdoor structured learning stations where students engage in hands-on water activities and investigations. Station topics include the water cycle, surface water, ground water, water quality, watersheds, and aquatic life. A festive atmosphere is provided by outdoor activities that include finding out what it takes to keep a habitat healthy. Many of the activities are from the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. The activities have been tested in classrooms and water festivals throughout the nation. Who are the presenters? Park rangers, field biologists, geologists, engineers, and water resources managers from state and federal agencies plus the private sector will provide your students with a day of water education and fun! Agencies represented at the Children’s Water Festival include: National Park Service, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, United States Geological Survey, Division of Natural Resources, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Putnam County Parks and Recreation, and the City of Hurricane. The City of Hurricane extends its appreciation to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Project WET program for providing organizational support and assistance. Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is national K-12 program available through free teacher training workshops. On the web: http://www.dep.wv.gov/wwe/getinvolved/wet/Pages/default.aspx