Educating 4^th- 5^th grade students about groundwater and its relationship to natural resources in a fun & interactive atmosphere.
Festival Coordinators: Kelly Cole    Marcia Lee

   2013 Activities:  at Central Community College  | at College Park  | in Exhibit Hall Tent  |   All Activity Descriptions  |  History of the Festival

   Poster Winners:  1st Place                              2nd Place                                                                    3rd Place

2012 Groundwater Festival...  Click here for the Program | 
Here's a sampling of just of a few of the activities at the festival last year:
                                
Squirt Gun Trivia & Solar Bubble Tower               Consuming Cranes                                Flood Plain Simulator                  GISH Water World/Island
Cargill Corn Milling &  Bill Coleman               U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service                    National Weather Service                Grand Island Senior High

                 
CPNRD Director, Ed Kyes, volunteering          Green Earth Magic Show 
as a classroom guide.                                            Kevin Barnes

Poster Winners:

1st Place: Veronica Toledo, Knickrehm Elementary, Grand Island	2nd Place: Hector Corado Knickrehm Elementary, Grand IslandOrd	3rd Place: Jake Meister Knickrehm Elementary, Grand Island

Awards Presented:
Don Nelson Festival Service Award –  This award, named for Central Community College President Don Nelson, is given to the individual or organization providing exceptional, long-term service to the Festival.  The 2011 Don Nelson Festival Service Award winner is Coca Cola of Grand Island. Darla Herran accepted the award for the Coca Cola. 

Lona and Jack Shafer Volunteer Award –  This award, named for long-time Festival volunteer Lona and Jack Shafer, is presented to the volunteer who most exemplifies Lona and Jack’s dedication to young people and groundwater education.  The 2012 winner is The Keralis Family.Robin, Michael and their children are a part of the Shafer Family- Robin is their daughter.  The Keralis's received the award for continuing to volunteer at the festival each year.
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PURPOSE   The Nebraska Children’s Groundwater Festival promotes environmental stewardship by informing students about all aspects of groundwater and therefore providing students the ability to choose good stewardship of groundwater in the future. The purpose of the event is to create an awareness of the value and scarcity of groundwater and the need to develop personal conservation habits and become vocal against the pollution of groundwater. Students attend sessions that educate about habitat, surface and groundwater, waste management, air quality and soil management.

The annual festival is held during spring break at the Central Community College and College Park in Grand Island. The NRD provides $10,000 in financial support and two staff members that coordinate the event. Individuals and area businesses also donate to allow students and schools to attend the event at no cost. This groundwater festival was the first to be formed nationally and has been replicated in nearly 40 states in the U.S. and in Mexico, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. It’s unique because students attend five classroom-style activities for 25 minutes, allowing them to learn in-depth groundwater and natural resources information. The students also attend water-related games to win prizes and a stage show while at the festival. Each student that attends takes a pre-test before arriving at the festival. Then, after they have attended they also take a post-test. Based on these pre- and post-test results, evaluations, and a behavioral impact study, the festival has demonstrated its positive impact on children’s awareness, knowledge, and ultimately behavior, in groundwater protection. All 4th and 5th-grade students in public and home schools are invited to attend. Once a teacher confirms that they would like to bring their class, then the coordinators put them on a one to two-year waiting list. Since there are so many schools that participate, they usually attend every other year; allowing students that don’t attend in 4th grade to attend in 5th grade.              

Educators Info:
 Water Cycle | What is Groundwater?  | Groundwater Glossary |  Fun groundwater games for children: http://water.lovey8.com   

High School Students:
Jami Harper Scholarship & Grant Program Info   |    Scholarship Program   |    Grant Program for high school student presenters  
    

Festival Organizers:
Coordinators: Kelly Cole and Marcia Lee, Central Platte Natural Resources District
Committee: Roger Andrews, Julie Frandsen, Liz Geberding, Ken Gnadt, Norma Janulewicz, Rita Kolbet, Sharon Samuelson, Robert Briseno, Dave Stewart

Photos from Past Festivals

Whooping Crane Migration/Wetland Stopovers  presented by Platte River Whooping Crane Trust	"Those Darn Dams" presented by Bureau of Reclamation	Festival mascot "Water Willy" greeting students as they eat in the  lunch tent. Students enjoy personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut.

If your school would like to attend the Festival or if you would like to volunteer for the event, 
contact Kelly Cole or Marcia Lee at the Central Platte Natural Resources District (308) 385-6282.

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