Water runs through everything we do — even climbing Mt. Everest

What started as a classroom visit to share travel stories has grown into a hands-on lesson in water awareness for a group of Nova Scotia elementary students.

Clara Shea, executive director of the Atlantic Canada Section of AWWA, was initially invited to speak with a classroom of third- and fourth-graders to share a personal story — her trek to Mount Everest Base Camp. But as students asked questions about the experience, the conversation turned to a different topic — and one very close to her heart: water.

“Where did you get your drinking water when you were climbing?” students asked. Given Shea’s work, she took the opportunity to have a broader discussion about safe water, its importance, and how it connects people and environments around the world.

After Shea left, the class learned more about water, including the water cycle and environmental impacts, over several weeks; and they culminated their lessons with a project: Make a poster about any water issue that mattered to them. The students were so excited about their posters, they invited Shea back for formal presentations.

“They really came up with these ideas themselves,” Shea said. “We were pretty impressed. They put their heart and souls into this project.”

Their posters explored topics ranging from littering to rainwater use, water access in other parts of the world, and emerging concerns such as microplastics. The final presentations brought together what they had learned, along with their own interpretations of what clean and safe water means.

The experience also revealed how perspectives on water are evolving. Students referenced topics and tools that were unfamiliar just a generation ago — from portable filtration devices to wastewater awareness — reflecting how quickly the conversation around water is changing.

“It was really heartwarming to see their passion and their perspective,” Shea said. “They’re our future.”

And the entire project — both Shea’s visit and the poster presentations — is planned again for next year’s class. This time, though, they’ll host it during the school year so the posters can be printed in the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association’s magazine, Go With the Flow.