The Wellspring Project Makes a Splash!
We had a blast during the Wellspring Project 2023 in June! The Wellspring Project is a four day program for 6th and 7th graders to learn about the importance of our rivers through artistic expression as well as field trips and presentations with local stakeholders. This year our group included 13 students from 9 different middle schools!
We started the week by learning about invasive plants like tamarisk, throwing seed balls, catching invertebrates at Connected Lakes, and imagining our favorite places with and without water. We also visited an endangered fish hatchery and some of us even kissed a fish! On Day 2 we visited Lobato Farms where we learned about using water efficiently and pet two adorable donkeys. Then we learned about the history of irrigation, cleaned up Clifton Nature Park, and toured the Ute Water Treatment Plant. Day 3 was all about art: we cleaned, sculpted, and painted repurposed trash to create individual art projects and one group project inspired by the Colorado River. Throughout the week, we made time for reflection, journaling and drawing at parks and natural spaces throughout the area. On our last day, we floated the Colorado River, using inspiration from the river for watercolor paintings and getting a first hand look at the water source we learned about all week. Along the way we formed new friendships, learned about ourselves, and had tons of fun!
Watch a video recap of the week or view our photo album.
The Wellspring Project 2023 was featured in a KREX news video as well as in an article from the Daily Sentinel.
Learn more about the Wellspring Project here: https://riversedgewest.org/education-stewardship/wellspring-project
