Educational School Programs

Rouge River Water Festival

The WRC and the Cranbrook Institute of Science annually host the Rouge River Water Festival in September for more than 1,500 fourth and fifth grade students.

This interactive learning event is divided into half-day segments to provide students a unique hands-on experience learning the importance of water and how it is used in their daily lives.

The Cranbrook Institute of Science, located in Bloomfield Hills, is situated on three sub-branches of the Rouge River and offers an outstanding learning environment.

The 2010 Rouge River Water Festival will be held September 14th-17th.  For more information, please contact Lisa Appel, Watershed Education Coordinator with the Cranbrook Institute of Science, at 248-645-3223 or e-mail lappel@cranbrook.edu. 

Clinton River Water Festival

The WRC and Oakland University also host an annual water festival on the campus of Oakland University in May.  Modeled after the Rouge River Water Festival, fifth-grade students from schools within the Clinton River Watershed are invited to attend either a half- or full day session to learn about water quality and how we all have a part to play in protecting this precious resource.

The 2010 Clinton River Water Festival will be held on May 21st.  For more information, please contact Jill Osmon with Oakland University at 248-370-4455 or e-mail osmon@oakland.edu.  

Dirt Doctors Program

The Dirt Doctors program is designed to teach children how individual actions affect our waterways.  The program explains the connections between vegetation, soil erosion and water quality in a fun-filled, interactive program complete with squirt guns and a fair amount of dirt and mud!  The Dirt Doctors are a favorite at water festivals and are available to attend special events.  Please contact the WRC Environmental Team at envreq@oakgov.com or phone 248-858-0958 to see about scheduling a visit.

Click here to see a summary of what the Dirt Doctors program is all about!

Drain Detectives Program

The Drain Detectives program is designed to teach children how Oakland County staff investigate and eliminate pollution sources to our area waterways.  Students will learn the following as part of this interactive presentation:

• The purpose of the County's Illicit Discharge Elimination Program (IDEP)
• The different types of pollution that can impact our waterways
• How staff track pollution sources, and
• The equipment staff use in their work.

Please contact the WRC Environmental Team at envreq@oakgov.com or phone 248-858-0958 to see about scheduling a presentation.

Bring Your Child to Work Day
Everyone looks forward to Bring Your Child to Work Day at the WRC.  Several activities are planned to teach our children about the WRC and what we do.

Children and adults participate in various activities including inspection of some of our interesting service vehicles, presentations, interactive learning games and activities.

Kids' Clean Water Calendar Contest

For the past five years, the WRC has held an annual calendar contest open to fourth and fifth grade students within Oakland County.  Each year, more and more entries are received.  This program is a great way to educate our youth and teach them how to get involved in discovering ways that they can help to prevent pollution of our plentiful waterways in Oakland County.

The calendar contest rules and submission deadline are posted each year in October on our home page (www.oakgov.com/water).  For more information, please contact our Environmental Team at 248-858-0958 or e-mail envreq@oakgov.com.