Wednesday, December 17, 2025

World Wetlands Day - February 2!

馃尶 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.

馃挧 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!

馃挱 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.
馃И 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.

馃挰 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?

馃敯Resources

馃寧 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.馃尶


Thursday, November 6, 2025

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.

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

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.

¡Solicita ahora tu beca para el Campamento de 2026!

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

S贸lo se aceptar谩n las solicitudes debidamente cumplimentadas, y estas se revisar谩n 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 inscripci贸n general abra el 14 de Enero del 2026.

Calendario de Becas

Primera Ronda
Cierre de Solicitud: 1 de Diciembre del 2025
Notificaci贸n de Decisi贸n: 20 de Diciembre del 2025

Segunda Ronda
Cierre de Solicitud: 1 de Marzo de 2026
Notificaci贸n de Decisi贸n: 20 de Marzo de 2026

¡No esperes m谩s! Comienza tu solicitud hoy para darle a tu campista la mejor oportunidad de recibir apoyo y asegurar un lugar en la sesi贸n que m谩s le emocione.

Monday, November 3, 2025

World Toilet Day - November 19!


Every year, UN-Water — the UN's coordination mechanism on water and sanitation — sets the theme for World Toilet Day. In 2025, the theme is ‘Sanitation in a changing world', reminding us that no matter what the future holds, we'll always need the toilet.

Did you know the average toilet is one of the biggest water users in a home?

World Toilet Day is a great opportunity to show students how water, engineering, and health are all connected — and how a well-working toilet helps protect our rivers, our community, and the planet. 馃寧馃毥

馃挱 Classroom Connections: Challenge students to think of ways to stop water waste at home or school. 

  • Water Science: Discover how the water cycle doesn't end at the faucet — it includes what happens after we flush.
  • Engineering: Discuss how toilets use gravity, pressure, and design to save water.
  • Conservation: A single leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day! 

馃И Simple Activities

  • Leak Detective Test:
    Add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to a toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl without flushing, it’s leaking!
    (Encourage students to ask a grown-up to try this at home.)
  • Toilet Timeline:
    Have students research how toilets have changed over time — from ancient latrines to modern water-saving models.
  • Design Challenge:
    Ask: What would a “perfect toilet” look like for conserving water and keeping people healthy worldwide?

馃挰 Discussion Starters

  • Where does water go after it leaves your house or school?
  • Why is clean water important for everyone?
  • How can fixing or upgrading toilets save water in our community?

馃敯Resources

馃獱 Final Message

World Toilet Day helps students understand that every flush is part of their water story.

By keeping toilets in good working order and learning how they connect to clean water, students discover how small actions make a big difference.

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