In a collaborative push to impart water conservation lessons to Arlington's youth, Arlington Water Utilities partnered with Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) to educate and motivate 778 fifth-grade students across thirteen schools. Their initiative, dubbed Conservation Captains, completed its third run this past 2023-2024 school year with reported success, as articulated in the detailed report by the City of Arlington.
The joint program is designed not just to teach but also to inspire. The statistics reflect a ripple effect, with 97% of participating teachers reporting an increased drive to conserve water, according to Arlington's official website. Effectively merging into the current classroom setting, the curriculum aligns with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards, ensuring the educational wave harmonizes with the state's mandatory pedagogic flow. A testament to enjoyment and academic engagement, 85% of the young scholars professed to enjoy the Conservation Captains program, marking a considerable level of student approval.
More than just theoretical teaching, TWRD and Tinker LLC concocted a curriculum that includes STEM activities, digital resources, and even water conservation kits to offer an immersed, hands-on approach. According to the city's press release, a fifth-grade student from Newman International Academy shared, "I liked doing the homework exercise because I got to test stuff like my toilet and how long it takes me to shower."
With the Conservation Captains program's popularity on an upward trajectory, Arlington Water Utilities has pledged an additional $6,000 in its fiscal year 2024 budget, with TRWD matching every dollar. This educational outreach is not an isolated pond but a river flowing to all cities dependent on TRWD for raw water. Over four thousand students in Tarrant County partook in the Conservation Captain lessons this past year. For educators looking to dive into the next wave of water conservation education, Arlington Water Utilities encourages all interested fifth-grade teachers to cast their line by contacting [email protected] to learn more about the free program.
