“Habitat in my Hands” brings Stormwater Education to the Schools

Henry County is home to miles of lakes, streams and other waterways that support a plethora of wildlife and aquatic creatures, and the Henry County Stormwater Department works diligently to successfully manage those waterways to ensure clean, fresh drinking water as well as habitats for nature.

To help bring the message home of the importance of keeping our waterways clean and safe, Henry County’s Stormwater Department has recently launched a new initiative by taking education into the classrooms. This fun, interactive program provides an opportunity for our youngest citizens to see the correlation between habitats and the need to keep our water clean. 

Annie Huff, Environmental Compliance Specialist with the Henry County Stormwater Department, recently brought her “Habitat in my Hands” presentation to Pleasant Grove Elementary School in Stockbridge, where students in Shakerra Varner’s fourth grade class had the opportunity to see up close the little bugs and creatures that live in Georgia’s waters and learn why it’s important to maintain their habitats.

Huff introduced the students to the concept of clean water in a fun and engaging way by presenting habitats in plastic bins and students were captivated by the traveling habitats and the tiny creatures living in the water. The students learned about three types of habitats in the County’s streams and creeks and were able to dig in, research and observe them up close, all in the comfort of the classroom.

“Habitat in my Hands is one of the most fun programs we have. They get an opportunity to stick their hands in a leaf pack and in a rocky bottom (habitat) and actually get to hold a habitat in their hands and it’s interesting to see how they are searching for life in that habitat,” said Huff.

Huff said it’s important to teach children early about the importance of water and keeping it clean, and how litter and trash can affect not only the quality of drinking water for them but can adversely affect wildlife and their habitats.

“We really want to introduce the concept of water quality and pollution prevention to kids at an early age. The goal is to make them aware of the environment and things they can do to be part of environmental stewardship by keeping pollution out of the streams and creeks here in Henry County,” she said.

The pilot program began in September and runs through May, during which time Huff spends one week a month with students teaching them an age-appropriate lesson about water quality and habitats. The schools involved in the pilot program are Luella Elementary, Oakland Elementary, Pleasant Grove Elementary, Stockbridge Elementary and Walnut Creek Elementary. Schools were chosen in coordination with the Henry County Schools science coordinator and the lessons were planned to correspond with the curriculum that students are currently studying.

For more information on Henry County’s Stormwater Department, visit www.henrycountystormwater.com or call 770-288-RAIN.

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