Nearly 1,200 Lambton Kent District School Board elementary students spent three days learning outdoors at the 16th annual Water Festival at CM Wilson Conservation Area.
Held Oct. 6 to 8, the festival brought students together from across the region to explore water conservation, water science, sustainability and water technology. There were 45 experiential learning booths.
Students moved from station to station, learning directly from community partners, experts and secondary student leaders. The hands-on format gave them a chance to see concepts in action, ask questions and connect what they learn at school to the world around them.
About 60 secondary student leaders helped run the event. On Oct. 6, students from John McGregor Secondary School and Chatham-Kent Secondary School supported activities and helped facilitate stations for younger students.
“The Water Festival gives students the opportunity to get outside, learn by doing and explore really important topics around water and sustainability in a way that is interactive and memorable,” said Matt Sanders, the board’s experiential learning and outdoor education coordinator and a member of the festival planning board. “It’s also a great opportunity for our secondary students to step into leadership roles and share that learning with younger students.”
