Getting ready for World Water Week festival at Chief Sealth

| Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Here in the relatively prosperous and soggy Northwest, it’s so easy to take water for granted. Turn the faucet handle, it’s there. Walk outside many days/nights, it’s there. But Chief Sealth International High School senior Molly Freed and social-studies teacher Noah Zeichner are working to make sure our community is aware of the issues surrounding water here and around the world, as part of the World Water Week “ideas festival” next week at Sealth. We reported last summer on their trip to the Aspen Ideas Festival – which required Molly to organize a followup festival back home – and after months of planning and collaboration, the festival week, next Monday-Friday, is almost here.

WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen visited Sealth for photos on Monday afternoon – above, Molly and Noah in their T-shirts, with special water bottles, both of which go on sale on campus tomorrow. This week is full of last-minute logistics, as this board suggests:

Next week’s agenda is here – and a key point is that some of the events are geared for you. First big one is next Monday night, Robert Glennon– author of “Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It” – gives the keynote talk at 7 pm in the CSIHS school auditorium, free and open to the public, accompanied by a resource fair (details here). There also are plenty of student activities and learning opportunities (detailed on this flyer), including an all-school assembly, workshops, and a walking event, with a focus on local issues as well as worldwide – contamination in West Seattle’s Longfellow Creek, for example. And for now, the word about World Water Week at Sealth is going truly global – here’s a screenshot from a United Nations webpage:

You can also “like” the festival on Facebook by going here; and there’s a Twitter account too. If you are interested in supporting the cause about which they’re raising awareness, here are ways to donate. You’ll see more previews here and elsewhere in the days ahead – publicity is part of their final preparations, too!

Mark March 15, 2011 (12:53 pm)

The blue shirts need to be a little bigger!

Arbor Heights Mom March 15, 2011 (12:56 pm)

I love the continuing coverage of Denny/Sealth. I’m learning a great deal about the school and its students, which offers a richer and rounder portrait than the bits and pieces of info per testing and other data from SPS. Thanks for diving deep, it’s great to see these students and teachers embracing a larger world view and doing it in such a way that furthers their own education and ideally, lights a spark!

nzeichner March 15, 2011 (2:11 pm)

Mark – ha! We only had our 3XL and 2XL shirts on hand for the photo. We have plenty of S, M, L, and XL in red, white, blue, and black left if people would like to buy one. They will be available at the Monday night public event.

Thanks WSB for covering this event. The students have worked so hard. We hope everyone comes out to see Robert Glennon on Monday! Congressman Jay Inslee will be opening the program.

J. Paul Blake March 15, 2011 (2:49 pm)

The students of Chief Sealth High School and instructor Noah Zeichner are to be applauded for organizing their World Water Day event to draw attention to the issue of clean drinking water. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn will issue a proclamation declaring World Water Day in Seattle, Tuesday, March 22. A free and open to the public City Hall event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will feature non-profit organizations involved in clean water projects around the world.
Contact J. Paul Blake, 206.684.8180 for more information.