Detroit students learn about environmental science with lessons at Belle Isle Park

Hundreds of Detroit students left the classroom behind this week for a day of hands-on learning at Belle Isle Park.

The annual Detroit River Water Festival brought fourth- and fifth-graders from across the city to Belle Isle, where they explored wildlife, conservation, and the waterways connected to the Detroit River.

Among the students was fourth-grader Justice Telly, who was especially excited about one creature in particular.

"I'm very excited to learn about spiders, especially the Black Widow," Justice said.

The festival, organized by Friends of the Detroit River, is designed to get students outside and engaged with environmental science through interactive activities.

"Really, we want to get the kids out of the classroom and doing hands-on activities," said McKenzi Walizcek, director of programming for Friends of the Detroit River. "So they're learning how to cast a fishing pole or what a day in the life of a biologist might be."

One of the stations at the Belle Isle Nature Center focused on water quality. Students collected macroinvertebrates, small aquatic creatures that can provide clues about the health of local waterways.

"We're doing a water quality program collecting macroinvertebrates, and the reason that we do that is because some macroinvertebrates can't live where there's pollution," said Ben Sale, an education specialist at the Belle Isle Nature Center. "So if we find those bugs in the water, then it's a really good sign for our water."

Those tiny creatures help scientists understand the health of waterways. Organizers say giving students an opportunity to collect and study them firsthand helps turn environmental science into something they can see and experience.

Sale said the lesson also helps students understand how their lives are connected to the river.

"I love to bring it back to the students, because this is their drinking water," Sale said. "This lake that we're at right now is connected to the Detroit River, and these kids all live in Detroit, and that's where their drinking water comes from."

For fourth-grader Kamorie Rhodes, learning about the water itself was one of the most interesting parts of the day.

"How it gets produced and how it gets clean," Rhodes said.

Friends of the Detroit River says the festival's goal is to help young people build a stronger connection to the waterways that have been at the heart of Detroit for generations.