FAIRFAX, VA – Mantua Elementary School, in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), hosted its seventh annual Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Day last month, focusing on hands-on ecological education for fifth-grade students.

The event featured interactive stations managed by DPWES's Stormwater’s Watershed Education and Outreach team, where students engaged with benthic macroinvertebrates — tiny organisms living at the bottom of streams — to learn about their roles in stream ecosystems and indicators of water quality. Michele Sullivan, a fifth-grade teacher at Mantua Elementary, organized this educational initiative to integrate practical science education with the school's curriculum.

Chris Mueller, a freshwater ecologist with the Fairfax County Stormwater Planning Group, highlighted the day's activities, which included demonstrations on how stream health is assessed through biological sampling. Students learned to identify various species and their pollution tolerance, emphasizing the interconnectedness of their local watershed.

This annual event underscores Fairfax County’s commitment to fostering environmental stewardship among its younger residents, providing them with the knowledge and skills to protect their natural surroundings.

For more information about DPWES’s educational programs and community outreach, visit Fairfax County DPWES website: Public Works and Environmental Services