Michigan Tech holds 8th annual Water Festival

High school students from all over the western Upper Peninsula took a trip to Michigan Tech Thursday to learn about the science of the Great Lakes.

"We began the year after the Great Lakes Research Center opened, and we thought it would be a great opportunity to get area students, and I mean the western Upper Peninsula area students on campus and hear at the Great Lakes Research Center to learn more about what scientists and engineers do," said Joan Chadde, the Director of Michigan Tech’s Center for Science and Environmental Outreach.

Each year the Water Festival switches the students that it brings onto campus, with grades 4 through 8 one year and high school students the next.

"With high school students we really like them to have a little more of an academic experience. So we often times have more of the faculty scientists and engineers who can talk about their research and since the students have more of a science background they can better understand it," added Chadde.

Students got to rotate through a variety of presentations and hands on activities throughout their field trip, and learn a few things along the way.

"Students learn about careers, they learn about the Great Lakes, and stewardship. Everyone in this area is a resident of the Great Lakes watershed, and we all interact and impact it in great ways, so we want to protect it," said Chadde.

The staff at Tech enjoys introducing students to what they're working on.

"One of our most important missions, in addition to doing our research, is to educate, motivate, and inspire the young students," said Casey Huckins, a Professor of Biological Sciences at Michigan Tech.