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After a Two-Year Hiatus, the Cubihatcha Kids are Back!

After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) is excited to be back in school – or in this case, back to hosting all 3rd grade students from Henry County Schools for field trips to its Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center. The HCWA staff, volunteers, and sponsors, are expecting approximately 3,000 or more 3rd graders and more than 100 teachers during two weeks of field trips to the Cubihatcha Center, when these “Cubihatcha Kids” will experience classes and activities in outdoor education. This is the 17th year the Authority has hosted 3rd grade field trips at its Cubihatcha Center for Henry County Schools. 

The “Cubihatcha Kids” are scheduled to visit the Outdoor Education Center in Locust Grove during the weeks of Sept. 12-16, and Sept. 26-30, 2022. These two weeks are scheduled around Fall Break for Henry County Schools. The “Cubihatcha Kids” field trips are organized by the Henry County Outdoor Education Partnership, a non-profit that includes the HCWA, the Henry County Board of Education, and the Henry County Board of Commissioners/Stormwater Management. In addition, other individuals as well as public and private organizations support the mission of this non-profit by participating in the “Cubihatcha Kids” field trips, such as 4H, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Central Georgia EMC, Locust Grove Stormwater, and others.

The field trips to the Cubihatcha Center provide opportunities for experiential or “hands-on” learning for students through outdoor classes and activities that correlate with the third grade Georgia Standards for Excellence and Applied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Curricula. In addition, the field trips encourage student appreciation of natural resources and awareness of the HCWA’s role in the community. 

The “Cubihatcha Kids” will spend their designated day on the campus of the Cubihatcha Center participating in classes and activities on topics such as: Native Wildlife; Crayfish; Owl Pellets; Stormwater Education and Enviroscape; Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG), Native American Artifacts, the Incredible Journey; Blue Planet; Physical Education; and more

The HCWA Cubihatcha Center was built to coincide with the Henry County Water Authority’s wetlands mitigation plan, which accompanied the construction of its reservoir network. (The Authority owns and operates five drinking water reservoirs for its customers.) Shortly after the facility opened, the Cubihatcha Center staff began hosting field trips for Henry County students in 2003, and the Cubihatcha Center has grown to serve as the focal point of HCWA public education and outreach since.

The Cubihatcha Center consists of 1,000 acres of bottomland hardwood, forested wetlands and uplands, nature trails, outdoor classrooms, a community pavilion, the HCWA Reservoir and Land Management office, as well as avenues/areas for outdoor recreation.

To date, Authority officials estimate nearly 50,000 “Cubihatcha Kids” from Henry County Schools have participated in these annual field trips since 2003. As a result, the HCWA has won the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) Public Education Program of the Year Award on three occasions, as well as GAWP Public Education Program Excellence Awards. In addition, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District has awarded the HCWA and its Cubihatcha Center with the STREAM Award for Education and Outreach Program Excellence.

 

 

Captions for photos (top to bottom):

The HCWA is welcoming back Henry County students for field trips to its Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center in Locust Grove, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Earlier this spring, the Authority’s Cubihatcha Center staff welcomed students from Strong Rock Christian School for an Earth Day field trip, offering them activities and lessons like those that the “Cubihatcha Kids” – 3rd graders from Henry County Schools – will enjoy over the course of two weeks this month (Sept. 12-16, and Sept. 26-30).

HCWA Land Management Technician Adam Waits uses the Enviroscape activity to teach Strong Rock Christian School students lessons in Stormwater Pollution and Education during their Earth Day field trip to the HCWA Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center earlier this year.

Strong Rock Christian School students learn about Native Wildlife during their Earth Day field trip to the HCWA Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center earlier this year.

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Media Contact:          

Dr. Chris Wood 

770-757-1681 (phone)

chris@jwapr.com (email)