HomeMy WebLinkAboutDOWNR092319DOWsMakeaSplashadvanceswatereducationtoanewlevelDepartment uIr
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Water has no substitute... Conserve it!
News Release
For Immediate Release: September 23, 2019
Media Contact: Jonell S.T. Kaohelaulii
Information & Education Specialist
Phone: 808- 245-5461
Mobile: 808-755-5432
Email: ikaohelauliil@kauaiwater.ora
DOW's Make a Splash festival advances water education to a new level
LIHU'E — The Department of Water (DOW) hosted its signature annual water education event; the Make a
Splash with Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Festival on September 20, 2019 at the Vidinha
Stadium Soccer Field in Uhu'e. The event hosted nearly 700 fifth grade students and offered 10 water
education activity stations this year.
"We selected activities from the Project WET curriculum and from community partners, to offer lessons
that could be applied to science, technology, engineering, art and math," said Jonell Kaohelaulii, DOW's
information and education specialist who coordinates the annual festival. "The combination of; an outdoor
classroom setting, fun activities and our amazing volunteers, help students to focus on the important
lessons being presented, while the interactive activity component allows them to apply their newfound
knowledge towards making informed decisions and ultimately gain a better understanding of water."
The DOW coordinates the annual Make a Splash with Project WET festival and invites 5th grade students
from around the island each year. At the festival, students participate in interactive activities, experience
educational exhibits and learn how human behavior and environmental events affects water -dependent
users including agriculture, recreation, groundwater, local industries and wildlife habitats.
Kaua'i's Make a Splash with Project WET Festival is currently the state's largest and only water education
festival. The festival is a part of DOW's community outreach and education program to educate and
promote water conservation and awareness to current and future water customers.
The DOW would like to thank the following supporters of the Make a Splash with Project WET festival for
helping to make this year's festival a huge success: East Kauai & West Kauai Soil and Water Conservation
Districts; state Department of Education; state Department of Health — Safe Drinking Water Branch; UH
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH-CTAHR) Kauai Agricultural Research Center, Aqua
Engineers Inc.; Hawai'i Rural Water Association; Kodani and Associates LLC.; Grove Farm; The Nature
Conservancy; Kapa'a High School — JROTC Warrior Battalion; Cheifess Kamakahelei Middle School Media
Production Program; the Kauai Board of Water Supply and DOW staff, family members and retirees.
For more information about the Make a Splash with Project WET Festival or Project WET Hawaii, please
contact the Department of Water at 245-5461.
-continued-
Photo by Department of Water
Volunteer, Nic Barca (far left) demonstrates how life as a water molecule is like a spin -of -the -dice;
ending up in the lake, cloud or animal, etc., as part of the activity, "The Incredible Journey" at DOW's
Make a Splash with Project WET festival on Friday.
Photo by Department of
Water
A student offers a thank you
salute to Kapa'a High School
JROTC Warrior Battalion
cadets as they distribute
goodie bags after the Make a
Splash event.
-continued-
Photo by Department of Water
A student from King Kaumuali'i Elementary
School tries to pump water out from a rocky
groundwater display, as part of the activity,
"Just Understanding Groundwater" where
students learn about groundwater and the
various types of aquifers at Make a Splash.
The activity station was sponsored by the
state of Hawai'i's Department of Health — Safe
Drinking Water Branch.
Photo by Department of
Water
Students participated in
an action -packed relay
race during "The Long
Haul" activity, to
demonstrate water
system functions of
delivering water from a
source to the storage
tank.