Students at Nizhoni Elementary huddled together excitedly as they worked the homemade walls of their river banks into place for their river sediment lesson Sept. 29, 2015. This activity was part of a series of water-focused lessons that Ms. Jennifer Choate's 4th and 5th grade gifted classes participate in. These students, along with other classes at Nizhoni Elementary also participated in a school-wide contest to find solutions to San Juan River water pollution in response to the recent Gold King Mine spill that has affected the region. The students who had the winning ideas had their presentations displayed at the Northern Navajo Nation Fair October 1-4, 2015. Ms. Choate understands that nature and water are very important in Navajo culture which, in turn, makes it especially important for students to understand the need to protect the environment and keep water sources clean. This fun activity gave students a hands-on opportunity to develop their interest in science and engineering, as well as directly involving them in the environmental protection of their community.
