Nearly 1200 Lambton Kent District School Board elementary students traded their classrooms for the outdoors this last week, diving into three days of hands-on learning at the 16th annual Water Festival at CM Wilson Conservation Area.
Held October 6-8, the Water Festival brought students together from across the region for an interactive exploration of water conservation, water science, sustainability and water technology.
And with 45 experiential learning booths to discover, there was plenty to explore!
Throughout the festival, students moved from station to station, learning directly from community partners, experts and secondary student leaders. The hands-on format gave students opportunities to experience concepts in action, ask questions and make connections between what they learn at school and the world around them.
For LKDSB, the event was a big one: nearly 1200 LKDSB elementary students participated over the three days, along with approximately 60 secondary student leaders who helped bring the learning to life.
On October 6, students from John McGregor Secondary School and Chatham-Kent Secondary School took on leadership roles, supporting activities and helping facilitate stations for younger students.
That student-to-student connection is an important part of what makes the Water Festival special.
"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, LKDSB Experiential Learning/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."
