GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – The Central Platte Natural Resources District is looking for volunteers to serve as classroom guides at the upcoming Nebraska Children’s Groundwater Festival on Tuesday, May 17, at Central Community College and College Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. Classroom guides work for four-hour shifts and are matched with one of the 37 fifth-grade school groups attending the festival. The classroom guides lead their designated group to the classrooms on their schedule.  Each school group participates in six in-depth classes and a stage show that reinforce groundwater quality, groundwater quantity, natural resources and wildlife education taught by over 50 water and natural resources professionals. Approximately 100 volunteers from surrounding communities and businesses volunteer for the event.

An optional classroom guide training will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, at Central Community College.  Coordinators help volunteers walk through their schedule to become familiar with the campuses.  If volunteers are unable to attend training, they may also arrive 20 minutes prior to their schedule to familiarize themselves with the campuses. Volunteers receive complimentary donuts, coffee, water, lunch and t-shirts. 29 activities will be held at the college campuses. Some of the activities at this year’s festival include:

• Awesome Aquifers (CCC 457) U.S. Geological Survey 
  • Learn how surface water and groundwater interact and how external factors like pumping and contamination affect them.
• Consequences of Unpurified Water (CCC 452) Stuhr Museum
  • Historical-based activity. Students act as pioneers who travel along the trail and encounter different drinking water choices.
• Critter Cube Count (CCC 522) Grand Island Izaak Walton League
  • Students role dice to identify macroinvertebrate, then use math to calculate the health of a stream and how if affects groundwater.
• Erosion, Water Quality & More (CCC 555) Central Community College
  • Students engage in various activities pertaining to erosion, native plants, soil quality, pollinator and rain gardens related to groundwater filtration.
• Green/Gray Relay (CP 103/104) Nebraska Extension 
  • Students compete in a green/gray relay race to learn the relationship of non-point source pollution to the surface and groundwater interaction.
• Gooey Garbage (CP Ext. Room 2) Upper Big Blue NRD 
  • Students create a model landfill to discuss precipitation, percolation and leachate to learn how important it is to protect groundwater from contamination.
• How Wetlands Work (CCC 312) Ducks Unlimited
  • Students create their own wetland and learn how they help people every day by preventing flooding, pollution and replenishing groundwater supplies.
• Mime, Masks & the Magic of Groundwater Stage Show
  • Fax Gilbert performs skills of mime, magic, masks and comedy to teach and inspire students about groundwater.
• Soil is the Skin of the World (CP Ext. Room 1) USDA/NRCS State Soil Scientist
  • Students will get their hands in the dirt to build their own Soil Profile Card with live demonstrations and real soil visual aides.
• The Raptor Connection (CCC 355-Cafeteria) 
  • Students meet live raptors up close and learn how raptors are dependent upon groundwater and surface water for food, shelter and nesting.

To volunteer contact Marcia Lee at (308) 385-6282, email lee [at] cpnrd.org or visit the Central Platte NRD website at www.cpnrd.org/education.