Rain, Rain Don't Go Away- Step 1

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With our garden and landscaping areas expanding and with the continued problem with drought in our area, we decided it was time for us to begin rain harvesting. We applied for a Junior League of Dallas grant in April 2013. The grant requested $2,000.00 to pay for 40 rain barrels that we can install and use around our campus. Texas A&M AgriLife Research/Extension Center in Dallas offers rain barrel making workshops for community members to make a rain barrel for $50.00. We were fortunate to receive the grant, so on Saturday, October 26, 2013, we held a workshop at our school and invited students and parents to help us make 40 rain barrels for our school. Parents could also pay $50.00 to make their own rain barrel for their personal home use.

Clint Wolfe shared an activity and information for students and parents to explain:  

      *Why Harvest Rainwater

      *What is Rainwater Harvesting

      *Developmental Impacts

      *Water Quality Issues

      *How to Make a Rain Barrel

Texas A&M representatives Clint Wolfe, Patrick Dickinson and Karen Sanders helping a parent with her barrel.

Students participated in an activity about the water cycle and the different sources

and forms of water.

Preparing the barrels.

This activity is Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away -  Step 1 Constructing the barrels.

Step 2 will be having each class decorate a barrel in January.

Step 3 will be the installation of the barrels in February.

This is a schoolwide project that has to be coordinated with our academic and testing schedules. We are eager to get them installed to start harvesting the rain. Hopefully, we will have a rainy spring.