Nebraska's 40-Year Groundwater Festival Seeks Volunteers

Grand Island, Nebraska is gearing up to welcome 800 excited fifth graders for a day of discovery about one of our most precious resources: clean water.

The Central Platte Natural Resources District is calling for community volunteers to help run the 2026 Nebraska Children's Groundwater Festival on May 12. The event transforms Central Community College and College Park into an interactive classroom where kids learn why protecting groundwater matters for their future.

This isn't a new experiment. The festival has been educating Nebraska students since 1985, making it the longest-running event of its kind in the country. More than 33,000 students have participated over four decades, learning through hands-on activities instead of textbooks.

Volunteers can choose from several roles that fit their schedule and skills. Classroom guides escort student groups between activities and keep the day flowing smoothly. Activity assistants help presenters prepare materials and support each learning session. Registration and logistics volunteers handle coordination to ensure everything runs on time.

The time commitment is flexible. Volunteers can help for just a few hours or stay for the full day, earning up to eight service hours. High school students needing service credits, businesses looking to give back, civic groups, and individuals are all welcome.

The Ripple Effect

When volunteers dedicate their time to this festival, they're doing more than chaperoning field trips. They're helping shape how the next generation thinks about conservation and environmental stewardship. Every fifth grader who learns about groundwater protection today becomes an adult who understands why clean water matters tomorrow.

Marcia Lee, Information and Education Specialist with CPNRD, sees this impact firsthand. "Volunteers help create a positive, organized experience so students can focus on learning and having fun," she said. The festival brings together natural resource professionals and community members who believe kids deserve engaging, meaningful education about their environment.

Interested volunteers can visit cpnrd.org and click the Education link or call the Central Platte NRD office at 308-385-6282 to sign up.

Forty years of teaching kids to care for Nebraska's water is worth celebrating, and worth continuing for forty more.