MEDIA INVITATION:
28th Annual NEBRASKA CHILDREN’S GROUNDWATER FESTIVAL

The Nebraska Children‘s Groundwater Festival promotes groundwater stewardship by providing the students of Nebraska knowledge to help them make personal choices about protecting groundwater quality and conserving groundwater use.

DATE:  TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016    
CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE & COLLEGE PARK in GRAND ISLAND, NE

COORDINATORS:  MARCIA LEE & KELLY COLE  Office: (308) 385-6282
                                 Contact #s for the Day of the Event: Marcia (308) 380-1220, Kelly (308) 380-7421

TIME:  
Classroom activities will take place from 8:30 a.m.- 2:40 p.m. throughout both campuses and the outside tent.  Activities, room numbers and presenters are attached in the Festival Program.  There are 46 presenters for the 28th annual event- with six new activities! Water educators and experts present stage shows, in-depth classroom activities and outside Exhibit Hall activities.

HISTORY:  

The festival is intended to supplement groundwater education that students receive through their school curriculum by providing an event where professionals are able to teach nearly 900 students in one day. Over 30,000 students have been educated at the Festival since 1988.  Each school attends five in-depth classroom activities, a stage show, and the Exhibit Hall tent to enjoy groundwater games and booths. This event was the first groundwater festival to be formed.  The Nebraska Children‘s Groundwater Festival has been replicated in 41 states in the U.S.A., Mexico, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.

WHERE TO START
Media Packets will be available at the registration areas at both CCC and College Park campuses.  Packets will include a program and maps of the campuses.  Each classroom has a schedule on the outside of their room- feel free to visit any of the classrooms even if they are in session.   Interested in particular presentations or specific school schedules?  Contact Marcia or Kelly and we will include those in your packet.

PRESENTATIONS
*CLASSROOMS: The 32 classroom activities are in-depth and hands-on.  The 25-minute classroom-style presentations are held at both college campuses with 25-30 students per session.
    NEW!  Birds on the Platte (CCC 456) presented by Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust;  Frogs: The Bio-Indicator (CP Park Room) presented by UNL Extension/ 4-H/Nebraska Outdoor U!;  What Plants Need to Grow (CCC 458) presented by Nutrients for Life Foundation; H2O and the 3 R’s presented by Keep Loup Basin Beautiful.

   Final Year:  Febold Feboldson (CCC 452) presented by Bob Manley Jr. will retire his presentation after performing at the festival since 1996; continuing the historical work that his father, Bob Manley Sr. had started.  Manley Sr. began presenting at the Festival in 1992, was a historian at Stuhr Museum & throughout Nebraska, as well as a UNL instructor. 

*EXHIBIT HALL: These activities are held in the blue tent located outside.  Students visit each presenter for 5-15 minutes at a time, continuously throughout the day. 
    NEW!  Drones! Aerial Mapping & Data Collection presented by JEO Consulting Group/Digital Sky; Erosion Protection & Aquifer Model presented by EA Engineering, Science & Technology PBC.

*STAGE SHOWS: The stage shows are entertaining and interactive, with a high level of energy.  Up to 300 students attend the Mime, Masks & Magic of Groundwater, held in the College Park auditorium.  The Raptor Connection is held in the CCC cafeteria with up to 150 students in each session. 

SCHOOLS ATTENDING
Axtell Elementary                            Bryan- Lexington                                             Central City Elementary

Central Valley- Wolbach                  Good Shepard Lutheran- Lincoln                 Jefferson- Grand Island

Lincoln- Grand Island                       McDaid- North Platte                                     Nebraska Christian- Central City

New Hope Christian- Cairo             Overton Elementary                                       Pershing- Lexington

Seedling Mile- Grand Island           St. Marys- Ord                                                  St. Michaels- Albion

St. Paul Elementary                         Wasmer- Grand Island                                    Wood River Elementary

18 schools are attending from 13 towns and cities across the state.

848 students are attending with 46 teachers.

Largest school attending: Pershing of Lexington, 184 students

Smallest school attending: Good Shepard of Lincoln, 7 students

Traveled farthest:  McDaid of North Platte, 2 hours

EVALUATING EVENT

*Each school attending is sent a pre-test that has questions ranging from simple to difficult regarding groundwater and natural resources with a combination of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true/false sections.   After attending the Festival, instructors are asked to give the post-test to the students and to send them back to CPNRD.  Based on pre/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.

SPONSORS:
Central Platte NRD is the main sponsor of the event by providing $10,000 in financial support and two staff members that coordinate the event.  The Festival Committee fundraises an additional $15,000 to allow students to attend the festival at no cost.  2016 Sponsors:

City of Grand Island Utilities                        Fred Otradovsky               Kaufmann-Cummings Foundation

Case IH, a brand of CNH Industrial             CHI Health                                         Grand Island/Hall Co Visitors Bureau

Lee‘s Family Restaurant                                Olsson Associates                            Pepsi Bottling Group of Grand Island

Agricultural Services Inc                                Ashton State Bank                           Aurora Cooperative

Chief Industries Inc                                        Copycat Printing & Signs Donna Wanitschke

Eakes Office Plus Inc                                      Grand Island Abstract Escrow & Title Co                          Hy-Vee

Kiwanis A.M. Club                                           Kiwanis Club of Grand Island         Pioneer Hi-Bred International

Robinson Water Well Drilling                       Wenzl Construction Co Inc            Zanadu Inc/Arbys

Coca-Cola of Grand Island                           Grand Island Surgery Center         Ken Gnadt

Levanders                                                         Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District

Orscheln Farm & Home                                 Roger and Julie Frandsen               Virginia Good

Watch for more information as the festival nears...

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  Marcia Lee
  Information/Education Specialist

  Central Platte Natural Resources District
  215 Kaufman Ave  Grand Island NE 68803
  Tel: (308) 385-6282  www.cpnrd.org

  Protecting Lives • Protecting Property • Protecting the Future

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                   Groundwater Guardian's Outdoor Learning Area @ Nebraska State Fair