BACKGROUND

 Georgia’s Water Festivals are modeled after the Children’s

 Groundwater Festival sponsored annually since 1989 by the

 Nebraska-based Groundwater Foundation. The

 Groundwater Festival in Nebraska includes an adult track

 for those wishing to replicate its festival and is known as an

 international model program of effective hands-on

 environmental education. The Water Systems Council, the

 only national organization solely focused on individual wells

 and other well-based water systems not regulated under the

 SDWA (Safe Drinking Water Act), was instrumental in

 coordinating this water festival.

Winning Water:  The 2004 ACF Children’s Water Festival marked the inaugural year for the Georgia festivals. The 2004 festival in Columbus was the first in Georgia where students were brought together for an educational experience based on their watershed. Additional Festivals have been held in Dalton, Athens, Macon and Statesboro.

To date, more than 5,000 Georgia children have been educated at the Winning Water Festival. The following are comments about the festival from some of the participants:

• “I had to email you to tell you what a wonderful time we had on Thursday at the Winning Water Festival! It was about the most organized, motivating, and exciting program I've seen. Thank you for all your hard work in putting it together, our kids LOVED it!” Betsy Handley, Teacher, Burghard Elementary (Macon)               
• “On behalf of the Fourth Grade at CFES, we had a wonderful time at the water festival!  The students went on and on about how much they enjoyed it.  What an excellent, enriching educational experience!” Jessica Beaver, Teacher, Colham Ferry Elementary (Watkinsville)           
• “That was the most organized, educational field trip I have ever attended.  Thank you for letting our school attend.  Our students and myself learned so many new ways to take care of our water.  The students really understood the presentations and they were geared towards their learning level.  Once again, thank you so much it was a wonderful, educational day.” Kristin R. Glenn, Teacher, Stowers Elementary (Fort Benning)

The 2009 Festival will be held at Coastal Georgia Community College in Brunswick. Eligible schools from the Altamaha, Satilla and St. Mary's River Basins will be invited to participate in September 2008. If you are a public, private or homeschool located in one of the eligible basins and would like more information please view the registration brochure below or email Sarah Visser at svisser@dca.state.ga.us.

FESTIVAL OVERVIEW:

Festival presenters will include water/natural resources experts from universities and colleges, government agencies, environmental organizations and private businesses who will teach children in a fun and interactive atmosphere. Lessons will be taught through many disciplines: math to music, geology to journalism and through entertainment: puppets, magic and storytelling. School classes will attend the festival in four-hour blocks, which will include classroom sessions, a visit to the Water Jamboree Activity Hall and the Team H20 Pit Stop (a water taste test station) outside displays, performances and games.

GOALS OF THE WATER FESTIVAL:

• Be Fun and Memorable
• Connect Students with Experts
• Bring Education Outside of the Classroom
• Meet a Growing Concern for the Environment
• Forge Lasting Partnerships for Future Festivals
• Connect Upstream and Downstream Water Users
• Make Lasting Water Impact on all those who Attend the Festival

For more information about the Festival download a registration brochure (coming soon).

Click here for list of Partners and Sponsors.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please view the sponsor letter.

FUTURE WATER FESTIVALS IN GEORGIA:

The planning committee is rotating the Festival to other water basins in Georgia. Click here to see a map of this year’s festival area and click here to see all of the water basins of Georgia. If you have an interest in starting a water festival in your basin please contact Sarah Visser.