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WISG - Water Issues Study Group

Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Program
The Groundwater Guardian Program is a community educational program developed by The Groundwater Foundation, a private, non-profit educational organization recognized internationally, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

"Designation as a Groundwater Guardian Community is presented by The Groundwater Foundation to communities which demonstrate an ongoing participatory approach to protecting groundwater resources." "For continuing designation as a Groundwater Guardian, a community must submit an Annual Entry Form and proposed ROA (Result Oriented Activities) Plan(s) by February each year; continue ongoing activities; and submit an Annual Report in August each year." For more information about The Groundwater Foundation and/or the Groundwater Guardian Program see www.groundwater.org .

The Desert Hot Springs community has three Groundwater Guardian Teams and an Groundwater Guardian Affiliate:

Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team
(Community - 1st Designated in 1995)
Mission Springs Water District
(Affiliate - 1st Designated in 1997)
Desert Hot Springs High School
(nation's 1st Groundwater Guardian Campus Team - 1st Designated in 2000)
Desert Springs Middle School
(Groundwater Guardian Campus Team - 1st Designated in 2004)

Palm Springs Unified School District's "Shiny Apple" Award
In 2001"Shiny Apple" Awards were presented to Nancy Wright, member of the Mission Springs Water District Board of Directors and The Groundwater Foundation Board of Directors, and founder of all three Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Teams; and Marge Cook, Executive Director, Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Teams, founder of 2 Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Teams, and member of the Technical Advisory Committee to The Groundwater Foundation Board of Directors, in recognition of their efforts in the formation of "the nation's first Groundwater Guardian Campus Team" at Desert Hot Springs High School.

In 2004 a Shiny Apple Award was presented to the Mission Springs Water District Board of Directors in recognition of the Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Program.

Student's Drinking Water Festival
The Student's Drinking Water Festival has been held annually since 1997 at Desert Springs Middle School, with over 600 6th-grade students participating each year. The Festival features interactive hands-on learning activities presented by guest speakers from the California Department of Water Resources; Riverside County Flood Control & Water District; Mission Springs Water District; The Wildlands Conservancy; California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Colorado River Basin; and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve.

To date over 6,000 students have participated in this one-day event where they learn about water issues, water conservation and protection, the desert ecosystem including wildlife and fauna, and environmental issues and professions.

2007

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Mission Springs Water District

California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Colorado River Basin

California Department of Water Resources

Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team Scholarship Program
Since 2004 the Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team has presented four $500 scholarships to Desert Hot Springs High School graduating seniors, recognizing their participation in water-related Groundwater Guardian activities. Past recipients have included Vanessa Yee (who is attending USC School of Architecture) and Chris Acalinas (who is attending Humboldt State University).

2007

L-R: Marge Cook, Executive Director, Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Teams; Ricky O'Hara, Desert Hot Springs High School recipient; Pete A'Hearn, Science Specialist, Palm Springs Unified School District & Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team; Aries Jaramillo, Desert Hot Springs High School recipient; Jim Taylor, former Art Teacher, Desert Hot Springs High School & Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team; and Nancy Wright, Director, Mission Springs Water District & Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team.

Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Field Trip / After-School Program
Students from Desert Hot Springs High School, Desert Springs Middle School and Julius Corsini Elementary School have had the opportunity to visit various water-related entities throughout the Coachella Valley including the Mission Creek Preserve, the Coachella Valley Preserve, Palm Springs Tramway, and the Alan Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant.

2007

Desert Hot Springs High School 9th Grade students tour Mission Springs Water District's Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Plant worker answers students' questions.

Upcoming

Annual Ceramic Tile Program at Desert Hot Springs High School
Annual Water Conservation Garden Program at Desert Springs Middle School
Desert Valley Debate League 2007/2008 "The Great Water Debate"
Working with Claremont McKenna Colleges, the Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team is sponsoring the Desert Valley Debate League 2007/2008 - the largest middle school debate league in the country with over 200 middle school students participating.
Mission Creek Preserve Field Trip Program "Desert Watersheds: From Source
To Sand" will reach over 1,260 Desert Hot Springs elementary school students as well as students in the Desert Hot Springs High School Environmental
Studies program.
Newspapers In Education "Groundwater & You" Supplements:
During the last 4 years, over 3,000 students at Desert Hot Springs High School have enjoyed the "Groundwater & You" 8-Page, 4-color Supplement developed in collaboration with THE DESERT SUN'S "Newspaper In Education" Program that compliments the California Department of Education Science Curriculum.

The Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team has just finished, through the efforts of Pete A'Hearn, Science Specialist, Palm Springs Unified School District & Desert Hot Springs Groundwater Guardian Team member, the development of a "Groundwater & You" Supplement for Desert Springs Middle School which will reach over 1,160 students over a two-year period.

Work will begin shortly on a "Groundwater & You" Supplement for the Desert Hot Springs Elementary Schools which will reach over 2,080 students over a two-year period.

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