SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County elementary school students got a chance to learn about water conservation through a lesson with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP).
More than 100 fourth and fifth grade students from Holz, Kenna and Richmond elementary schools participated in the outdoor activities for World Water Day 2024.
The WVDEP’s Youth Environmental Program and Project WET (Water Education Today) hosted the event at Little Creek Park in South Charleston.
WVDEP spokesman Terry Fletcher said they wanted to teach the young students about the importance of water resources.
“We wanted to teach them ways that they can be good stewards of our water resources so that future generations can enjoy them as well,” said Fletcher.
The students got themselves involved in hands-on learning stations that taught them about the availability of Earth’s clean water and threats to its viability. Industry leaders presented different subjects such as flooding, acid rain, safeguarding our drinking water, water usage and how pollution impacts aquatic insects.
“The younger you can get kids involved with becoming good environmental stewards, the better chance they will carry that with them for the rest of their lives so when they’re older they can take more proactive stances,” Fletcher said.
World Water Day is an annual observance by the United Nations. This year’s theme is “Water for Peace.”