First Montessori School of Atlanta Helps Monitor Sandy Springs Water | Environment

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Fifteen students, aged six to 12, from First Montessori School of Atlanta participated in World Water Monitoring Day activities Sept. 15 at The John Ripley Forbes Big Trees Preserve in the City of Sandy Springs.

According to Sandy Springs' stormwater utility manager David Chastant, the student volunteers performed tests for dissolved oxygen, pH, clarity and temperature. The tests indicate how healthy the water is for the animals that live in it. By comparing this year's results with those from last year, students learn the important role water plays in creating a good environment for all living creatures.

"We want our students to understand the complex relationship between people and the earth," said Jerri King, head of First Montessori School of Atlanta. "By participating in projects like this, they develop an awareness of the natural world and their responsibility for it."

World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting the world's water resources. More than 120,000 people in 81 countries monitored their local waterways in 2009.