Monday, December 17, 2007

Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Dec. 14 that River Eves Elementary School is a winner in the Governor’s Water Conservation Contest. Lake Windward and Mountain Park elementary schools were among 12 state finalists.

River Eves’ plan centers on raising consciousness of water usage. The school’s fifth-grade classes proposed a 1.5-mile “awareness walk” to a nearby grocery store where the students wear specially designed t-shirts and wristbands while carrying posters and buckets that symbolize water being conserved. The students also want to sell the t-shirts and wristbands to create additional funds for awareness activities.
The governor’s contest asked students in third, fourth, and fifth grade to develop a water conservation plan for their community. Students described their proposed project in a detailed essay and included an implementation budget. As a contest sponsor, Home Depot awarded River Eves $2,000 to carry out its conservation plan.

Our plan: THE PLAN TO CONSERVE WATER IN ROSWELL, GEORGIA Submitted by the students in Ms. Searcy’s 3rd grade Talented and Gifted Class., Mountain Park Elementary School, Roswell

Our plan
If the students in our class were the mayor of Roswell, we would create a water conservation plan for our community that would provide 100 families with free kits that would save at least 50 gallons of water per day. These kits would be distributed at a Home Depot in our community (our partner in education). In addition to these kits, we would publish a brochure listing 100 Easy Ways to Conserve Water. Each kit would include:
-A water-saving shower head
-A digital timer
-A toilet tank water saver
-A brochure

Why our conservation method is important and how it will help save water:
Our conservation method will save water. The Toilet Tummy will save five to ten gallons of water every day. You can save 5-10 gallons of water for each minute shorter your shower is. The timer will help you take shorter showers. The water-efficient shower head can save much water, too. Last, but not least, the brochure will give other ideas for people to try. Our idea will save at least 50 gallons of water in each home each day.

How we would carry out our ideas in our community:
After purchasing the materials for the kits, we will assemble the kits at school. After advertising in the local newspaper and in area school newsletters, we would distribute our kits at Home Depot on a Saturday morning. We would get local media coverage (T.V., newspapers, etc.) to raise awareness of water conservation.

The budget:
The Toilet Tummy – toilet tank water saver
$3.00 x 100 = $300.00

Water saving shower head
$10.00 - $1,000.00

Digital Timer - $6.00 - $600.00

Brochure (paper, ink) - $100.00

Total: $2,000



Congratulations to the students for becoming finalists!