Armstrong Lions learn about the value of water

Armstrong School for the Arts third graders are discovering just how precious water is, and what they can do to protect it. The students recently participated in Imagine a Day Without Water, an educational project led by Hampton Master Gardener and Water Steward Pam Henifin and fellow Master Gardener Betsy McAllister, the HCS STEM teacher specialist. Imagine a Day Without Water is an annual educational and awareness campaign organized by the U.S. Water Alliance.

On October 16, students in the classes of Tina Becouvarakis, Brittany Neal, and Frances Marshburn took part in two hands-on Project WET activities led by Henifin and McAllister. Through the demonstration A Drop in the Bucket, students explored how little of Earth’s water is available for human consumption. They also discovered the many ways they rely on water, both directly and indirectly, through the interactive activity Water Works.

To help students better understand their own water consumption, HDR – a global professional services firm specializing in architecture, engineering, and environmental construction – donated notebooks for each student to record daily water use. Students recorded their water usage for three days, compared their consumption with the national average of approximately 90 gallons per person per day in the United States, and volunteered ideas for conserving water.

The learning continued on October 21, when the third graders toured HRSD’s SWIFT Research Center (Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow). There, students learned about the innovative, advanced processes SWIFT uses to treat wastewater to drinking water standards. HRSD Community Education and Outreach Specialists Brantley Bissette and Elizabeth Lowe also engaged the students in an engineering design challenge, tasking them with building an effective water filtration system.

Now, the third-grade Lions are taking what they have learned beyond the classroom by sharing their knowledge with family and friends and inspiring others to become better water stewards. Will you take the challenge? This water-use chart can help you track your daily consumption and discover how even small changes can make a difference!