FREE Field Trip: 2027 Northglenn Thornton Westminster Water Festival

Northglenn, Thornton, and Westminster Water Festival. 

FREE, hands-on field trip 

Wednesday, May 12, 2027
Front Range Community College – Westminster

The Water Festival is designed for fifth grade, but fourth-grade classes are welcome to attend if it fits your curriculum. Please limit registration to one grade level per school.

Students will explore topics such as:

• Water conservation and sustainability
• 

  Colorado water law and history
• Water chemistry and the water cycle
• Local water systems
• Weather and climate
• Aquatic wildlife and ecology

Students will take part in hands-on activities and learn why water matters in Colorado and beyond.

FREE for participating schools! The partner cities cover the festival and bus costs, so it's easy for your school to join.

Registration Info: 

Space is limited to 800 students. Please register early.

Register online at: Water Festival registration

• Registration deadline: November 30, 2026
• We'll select schools from all who register.
• If your school is selected, you'll get a confirmation email before winter break.

We look forward to seeing you and your students for a fun day of learning and exploring all things water.

   

World Wetlands Day - February 2!

🌿 Celebrate World Wetlands Day

February 2 is World Wetlands Day — a perfect opportunity to help students connect what they learn about ecosystems, water, and sustainability to the world around them!

Wetlands in Colorado are a vital, yet often undervalued resource. While their extent is less than 2% of the land area, wetlands are some of Colorado's most important habitats — from cattail marshes along the South Platte River to alpine wet meadows in the Rockies. They clean our water, prevent flooding, and provide homes for frogs, birds, and beavers.

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💧 Did You Know?

• Wetlands act like natural water filters, trapping sediment and pollutants before they reach rivers.
• A single acre of wetland can store up to one million gallons of water during floods or snowmelt.
• Nearly 75% of Colorado's wildlife rely on wetlands at some point in their lives!

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💭 Classroom Connections

• Science Standard: 5th Grade – Organisms depend on their surroundings and each other for survival (SC.5.2.1).
• Local Relevance: Wetlands in Colorado help store water, filter pollutants, and support native species like herons, frogs, beavers, and dragonflies.
• Big Idea: Protecting wetlands helps create a sustainable future for both people and wildlife.

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🧪 Simple Classroom or Take-Home Activities

• Wetland in a Jar (Mini Ecosystem): Create a small model wetland using soil, sand, and water in a clear jar or container. Observe how the layers filter muddy water.
• Colorado Wetland Wildlife Match-Up: Print photos of local wetland species — frogs, red-winged blackbirds, cattails, dragonflies, and beavers — and have students match them to their habitat roles (pollinator, filterer, builder, etc.).
• Water Journey Mapping: Draw or map how snowmelt travels from mountains → streams → wetlands → rivers → reservoirs. Ask: What would happen if wetlands disappeared from that path?
• Protect-the-Pond Challenge: Have students brainstorm ways to protect wetlands near their community, such as reducing pollution, conserving water, or restoring habitats.

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💬 Discussion Starters

• How do wetlands help keep our rivers and lakes clean?
• Why do you think so many animals depend on wetlands?
• What can we do in Colorado to protect wetlands and water for the future?

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🔰Resources

• Colorado Natural Heritage Program - Educational Resources
• USEPA - Wetlands Education for Students and Teachers | US EPA
• Color-in Poster 

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🌎 Bring It Home

World Wetlands Day encourages students to think about how they can protect local wetlands — by conserving water, keeping litter out of storm drains, or visiting nearby nature areas to observe these vital ecosystems.

Every small action helps build a sustainable future — for our water, wildlife, and communities.🌿

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Youth Pollinator Summit - Free Tickets for Middle & High School Students

 

Free tickets available for middle and high school students to the Colorado Pollinator Network's inaugural Youth Pollinator Summit at CU Boulder's Museum of Natural History.

Apply Now for 2026 Camp Scholarships!

 

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Apply Now for 2026 Camp Scholarships!

We are so excited to announce that camp scholarship applications are now open! Thanks to the generosity of individual donors, corporations, and foundations, we can help make camp possible for families who qualify. While scholarships are not guaranteed, we do everything we can to support each family that applies.

Only fully completed applications will be considered, and applications are reviewed in two waves. Applying early is the best way to secure your spot! Families who are awarded scholarships in Round 1 will lock in their camper’s spot before general enrollment opens on January 14th, 2026.

Scholarship Timeline

Round 1
Application Closes: December 1st, 2025
Notification of Decision: December 20th, 2025

Round 2
Application Closes: March 1st, 2026
Notification of Decision: March 20th, 2026

Don’t wait! Start your application now to give your camper the best chance for support and a spot in the session they are most excited about.

Apply Here

¡Solicita ahora tu beca para el Campamento de 2026!

¡Estamos muy emocionados de anunciar que las solicitudes para las becas de campamento ya están abiertas! Gracias a la generosidad de donantes individuales, corporaciones y fundaciones, podemos ayudar a que más familias tengan la oportunidad de asistir al campamento. Aunque las becas no están garantizadas, hacemos todo lo posible para apoyar a cada familia que presenta una solicitud.

Sólo se aceptarán las solicitudes debidamente cumplimentadas, y estas se revisarán en dos rondas. ¡Aplicar pronto es la mejor manera de asegurar tu lugar! Las familias que reciban becas en la Primera Ronda asegurara el lugar de su campista antes de que la inscripción general abra el 14 de Enero del 2026.

Calendario de Becas

Primera Ronda
Cierre de Solicitud: 1 de Diciembre del 2025
Notificación de Decisión: 20 de Diciembre del 2025

Segunda Ronda
Cierre de Solicitud: 1 de Marzo de 2026
Notificación de Decisión: 20 de Marzo de 2026

¡No esperes más! Comienza tu solicitud hoy para darle a tu campista la mejor oportunidad de recibir apoyo y asegurar un lugar en la sesión que más le emocione.

¡Aplique Aqui!