By Laura Brigger
The Oka' Institute
Promoting awareness and responsible water practices, East Central University’s Oka’ Institute will host the 16th Annual Ada Water Fest on Thursday, April 25, from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on ECU’s Centennial Plaza.
Nearly 500 fifth graders from all school districts in Pontotoc County will converge on the plaza, located in front of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center on the ECU campus. The public is welcome to attend as well.
The event engages students in hands-on water related activities and visual demonstrations.
Some of the activities scheduled for the event are precipitation and severe weather, stream trailer, geology fate and transport of groundwater contaminants and water tasting (well, spring and mystery water).
Other learning activities include geoprobe sampling and well installation, surface water invertebrate beasts and wetland plants. Also, they will learn what an aquifer is and a demonstration will be held to show how water flows through various types of rocks and sediments and the importance of every drop counting.
Agencies and organizations providing learning experiences for the event include Blue Thumb, City of Ada, Chickasaw Nation, National Park Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, South Central Climate Science Center, Pontotoc County OSU Extension, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Robert S. Kerr Environmental Resources Center (also known as the Kerr Lab) and the Oka’ Institute.
For more information on the 16th Annual Ada Water Fest contact the Oka’ Institute at 580-559-5151 or go online to learn more at www.ecok.edu/oka-institute.
-ECU-