Water We Doing? - Festival del Sol 2014
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. Students of the Action Faction became stewards of our water environment by researching a local water issue and implementing a student-designed course of action to enact positive change. Students engaged in the scientific research process and tested viable, replicable solutions that could have global implications. Action plans were submitted as applications for the
To showcase their proposals for the Siemens challenge, students created documentation panels and interactive exhibits for each of the 14 groups, as well as larger team panels for Chemistry content, Humanities content, Field Experiences, and Community Connections to put on display for Festival del Sol on March 19, 2014. Click here for the Project Handout.
Community outreach for this project included guest speakers from the San Diego County Water Authority, San Diego Coastkeeper, and UCSD Nanoengineering & Technology Society. Students from UCSD Phi Gamma Delta also served as mentors for students during the planning stage of the project. Finally, in addition to group field experiences, the Action Faction went on team field trips to Otay Lakes County Park, where we simulated a water walk, and on a three-day camping trip at Lake Jennings, where we conducted a larger-scale water walk and celebrated the submission of final applications for the Siemens Challenge.
To showcase their proposals for the Siemens challenge, students created documentation panels and interactive exhibits for each of the 14 groups, as well as larger team panels for Chemistry content, Humanities content, Field Experiences, and Community Connections to put on display for Festival del Sol on March 19, 2014. Click here for the Project Handout.
Community outreach for this project included guest speakers from the San Diego County Water Authority, San Diego Coastkeeper, and UCSD Nanoengineering & Technology Society. Students from UCSD Phi Gamma Delta also served as mentors for students during the planning stage of the project. Finally, in addition to group field experiences, the Action Faction went on team field trips to Otay Lakes County Park, where we simulated a water walk, and on a three-day camping trip at Lake Jennings, where we conducted a larger-scale water walk and celebrated the submission of final applications for the Siemens Challenge.
Examples of documentation panels and Festival del Sol exhibition setup
Students in action at Festival del Sol
Congratulations to our National Finalists!
Three of 14 groups from the Action Faction were selected as 2014 National Finalists for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge!
The Aqua Savers (left to right: Rafael Valdez, Francisco Urteaga, Naidelyn Hernandez, and Erika Alvarez) used recycled cross-linked polyethylene to create a low-cost, long-term and sustainable alternative to natural gas water heating. The Aqua Bag and its housing, which were designed specifically to meet the needs of families living in the Rinconados community of Tijuana, Mexico, allows residents to dispense solar-heated water for domestic use. After several iterations of the Aqua Bag to determine an effective and durable product, the Aqua Savers distributed their final design of the Aqua Bag free of charge to several families in the Rinconados community.
The Last Waterbenders (left to right: Kirsten Dael, Aine Piedad, Ryan Renteria, and Brandon Ruelas) conducted a concerted study of water usage in the bathrooms at HTHCV. After determining how much water is used on average in the boys' and girls' bathrooms, they introduced hand sanitizer to see how its implementation would impact water usage and consumption of other bathroom supplies.
The Water Babes (left to right: Giancarlo Fonseca, Ceiley Davis, and Sierra Gritts) created a combination filtration method out of activated carbon, sediment, and distillation filters that can be attached to HTHCV's existing water pipeline. This filtration system improves the quality of the reclaimed water currently found in the school's irrigation system, rendering it safely usable by students for educational and environmental purposes.
The Aqua Savers (left to right: Rafael Valdez, Francisco Urteaga, Naidelyn Hernandez, and Erika Alvarez) used recycled cross-linked polyethylene to create a low-cost, long-term and sustainable alternative to natural gas water heating. The Aqua Bag and its housing, which were designed specifically to meet the needs of families living in the Rinconados community of Tijuana, Mexico, allows residents to dispense solar-heated water for domestic use. After several iterations of the Aqua Bag to determine an effective and durable product, the Aqua Savers distributed their final design of the Aqua Bag free of charge to several families in the Rinconados community.
The Last Waterbenders (left to right: Kirsten Dael, Aine Piedad, Ryan Renteria, and Brandon Ruelas) conducted a concerted study of water usage in the bathrooms at HTHCV. After determining how much water is used on average in the boys' and girls' bathrooms, they introduced hand sanitizer to see how its implementation would impact water usage and consumption of other bathroom supplies.
The Water Babes (left to right: Giancarlo Fonseca, Ceiley Davis, and Sierra Gritts) created a combination filtration method out of activated carbon, sediment, and distillation filters that can be attached to HTHCV's existing water pipeline. This filtration system improves the quality of the reclaimed water currently found in the school's irrigation system, rendering it safely usable by students for educational and environmental purposes.