Days are getting shorter and school is underway across the metro area.

For many parents and students, there may be mixed feelings about the end of summer and the start of the new school year. But not for members of Denver Water’s Youth Education team, who are excited and ready to get back in the classroom.

The program’s goal is to increase students’ knowledge of water in Colorado, educate the next generation about Denver Water and what it does while discussing wise water-use behaviors.

“Helping people appreciate water’s importance often starts with the youngest members of society, and that’s what Denver Water’s Youth Education Program sets out to do,” said Matt Bond, Denver Water Youth Education manager.

Some highlights of the program include:

• H2O Outdoors — Denver Water partners with the Colorado River Water Conservation District and Aurora Water for the annual three-day camp consisting of students from both sides of the Continental Divide, located at the Keystone Science School.
• Denver Metro Water Festival — Denver Water and its suburban water distributors, Metropolitan State University’s One World One Water Center and facilitate the annual event held each May.
• Classroom presentations and treatment plant tours — Each year Denver Water’s youth educators give classroom presentations and treatment plant tours for thousands of students.

“By far, the best part of being on Denver Water’s Youth Education team is the interaction I have with students and educators,” said Bond.

“It’s a great honor and privilege to partner with teachers and be invited into their classroom to work with their students. We don’t take that for granted for a second.”

Denver Water's Youth Education Program started in 2007. The program reaches more than 8,500 students every year through more than 500 classroom presentations in 12 school districts in Denver Water’s service area and in counties where watershed facilities are located, such as Summit and Grand counties.

If you are an instructor or school staff member and would like to work with Denver Water's Youth Education Program, visit www.denverwater.org for more information about the program and to submit a request.