By Brittany Whitley

Published: May 8, 2008

An aquifer is underground layer of water-bearing rock or loose materials (gravel, sand, silt or clay) from which groundwater is extracted using a well.

At the Lee County Water Festival on Thursday, fourth grade students from all over Lee County ate aquifers. But these were no ordinary aquifers, they were smaller models built by the students - and they were edible.

Instead of gravel, sand and silt, students built aquifer models of vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, lemon-lime soda, ice cubes, chocolate syrup and sugar crystals.

At the end of the project, students stuck in straws representing wells and slurped up the concoction.

“They are given a cup of ice cream and that’s their soil,” said Anne Miller, district administrative coordinator of the Lee County Soil and Water Conservation District and organizer of the festival. “They really love that.”

The festival will wrap up Friday when remaining fourth grade students in the county travel to the Haley Center and take part in the festivities. In addition to the edible aquifers, students built a mini-filtration system (used to clean water) using a coke bottle and water-cycle bracelets, with each colored bead representing a part of the water cycle.

The educational experiences are designed to help students learn the role of surface and groundwater in the water cycle and the importance of water to all life.

“Every school in Lee County is part of this including private and home schools,” Miller said.

When the event closes on Friday, more than 2,000 students will have attended, she added.

For entertainment, Environmental Magician Paul Cash performed magic tricks and gave advice on how to help the environment. He performed the “Water Cycle Boogie” in which a drawing of “Water” - a big face with big ears -magically moved its lips and sang. Cash said students could draw “Water” at home and do the “rap” there.

“If ’Water’ comes to life and starts rapping with you, we are not responsible for the therapy you’re going to need,” he said.

Each year the event becomes more popular, Miller said. “Every year it’s grown, and this year, we have 100 percent participation,” she added, referring to all fourth grade students in the county.

And the excitement was unanimous.

“I really didn’t have a favorite part,” said Courtney Hayes, a fourth grade student at Beulah Elementary. “I liked all of it.”

| 737-2525