The Water Masters of the Convent of Mercy Girls National School in Kanturk, County Cork, Ireland

Highlights of the school’s activities and results:

Their journey began with a visit to the local Iniscarra Hydroelectricity Dam to learn all about hydropower and how different elements of the dam work to produce enough energy to power a nearby town!  The Water Masters also learned about the local ecosystem for humans and salmon observing the salmon swimming upstream for spawning season.

The Water Festival organized by the Water Masters especially demonstrated their integrity, care, commitment, awareness, and responsibility values. They worked in teams to organize the event themselves during Active Week.  They planned and prepared fun activities, targeting all students, parents, and the local community.   An entertaining quiz, lively rally, and fun demonstrations and games spread their messages far and wide.  They wrote a catchy song, ‘H2O’ (sung to the well-known ‘Ex’s and Oh’s), that was launched during the Water Festival to convey their message in a fun and memorable way.  Participants and guests couldn’t miss the strong focus on inclusivity, solidarity, and a serious commitment from all the Water Masters!

Next up was the Raptor Project, which involved hands-on learning about the local flora, fauna, and especially the important river pearl mussel and nearby flooding issues.

All told, the Water Masters involved 695 people from the small local community and convinced 592 of them to take a water-saving pledge – that’s over 85%!!!

Thanks to the Water Explorers in assistance with the selection of  The Convent of Mercy Girls National School for the WAFA Youth Award 2016.