20th Annual Southern Maine Children’s Water Festival To Draw Over 700 Students

Contact: Beth Chase, beth.chase@maine.gov, 592-6157

PORTLAND – Over 700 fourth, fifth and sixth grade students and their teachers from across the state will flock to USM’S Portland Campus Friday for a day of interactive learning about clean water and the environment as they attend the 20th annual Southern Maine Children’s Water Festival.

The event provides opportunities for students to develop a sense of environmental stewardship through activities such as Dripial Pursuit, a quiz show on water issues with VIP hosts; an interactive play staged by Ferry Beach Ecology School; and plenty of time to tour the exhibition hall, where there will be dozens of displays–including a marine tidepool touch tank, water quality demonstrations using a secchi disc, and a weather station.

The media is encouraged to attend as the event provides great visuals. Please contact Beth Chase in advance of the water festival or via cell phone at 592-6157 the day of the event if you would like assistance in planning your coverage or guidance around the campus.

WHO: 708 southern Maine fourth, fifth and sixth graders and their teachers and more than 100 volunteers from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Portland Water District, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Poland Spring, University of Southern Maine and other local, state and federal agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Schools from the following communities will be in attendance: Windham, Pownal, Portland, Freeport, Gorham, Sebago, Berwick, Sanford, Mexico, Hebron, Georgetown, and West Gardiner.

WHAT: 20th Annual Southern Maine Children’s Water Festival

WHERE: Sullivan Gym, University of Southern Maine Portland Campus

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, May 20

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