670 students expected at Southern Maine Children?s Water Festival Friday
May 14, 2014
Contact: Jessamine Logan, jessamine.logan@maine.gov, 287-5842 or Beth Chase, beth.chase@maine.gov, 592-6157
-The day-long immersion in the wonders of water and how to protect it will be held in Portland-
PORTLAND ? Around 670 fourth, fifth and sixth grade students and their teachers from 13 area schools will flow onto USM?S Portland Campus Friday for a day of fun and interactive learning about clean water, wetland ecosystems and the importance of stewarding Maine?s most rapidly renewable resource.
The 19th annual Southern Maine Children?s Water Festival is organized through a partnership of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Poland Spring, US Fish & Wildlife and 19 other local, state and federal agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Elementary and/or middle schools from Portland, South Portland, Standish, Sanford, Berwick, Pownal, Lewiston, Mexico, Byron, Roxbury, Jay, Richmond and Dresden will be attending.
Activities include Dripial Pursuit, a quiz show on water issues with VIP hosts; classroom activities led by the State?s leading environmental educators; an interactive play staged by Ferry Beach Ecology School; and plenty of time to tour the exhibition hall, where there will be dozens of displays?including a marine tidepool touch tank? focusing on engaging environmental protection topics like wildlife in water, reading a secchi disc to determine water quality and how to protect your pipes.
The media is encouraged to attend as the event provides great visuals. Please contact Beth Chase in advance of the water festival or via cell phone at 592-6157 the day of the event if you would like assistance in planning your coverage or guidance around the campus.
WHO: 670 southern Maine fourth, fifth and sixth graders and their teachers and more than 100 volunteers from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Portland Water District, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Poland Spring, University of Southern Maine and 19 other local, state and federal agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Participating schools include:
Holy Cross School, South Portland
St. Thomas, Sanford
Eric Knowlton School, Berwick
King Middle School, Portland
Reiche Community School, Portland
George E. Jack Elementary, Standish
Pownal School, Pownal
Longley Elementary School, Lewiston
Dyer Elementary, South Portland
Marcia Buker School, Richmond
Dresden Elementary, Dresden
Meroby Elementary, Mexico, Roxbury, Byron
Jay Elementary School, Jay
WHAT: 19th Annual Southern Maine Children?s Water Festival
WHERE: Sullivan Gym, University of Southern Maine Portland Campus
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, May 16
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