Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/587184
says the PEA member, noting that students at her school are the most impacted in Porterville. "If there are no oranges to pick or grapes to harvest, what will happen to them?" "The wells started drying up last year," says Richard Lambie, a career pathways and PE teacher at Granite Hills. "Many of our students are without water, so our district became very proactive and let us open up the locker rooms an hour before school so students can shower. We also have huge jugs of water in our cafeteria for students. Students volunteer for the Excel Club to collect water and help staff water drives that deliver water to families in need, similar to food drives. Teachers bring bottled water to athletic events so students stay hydrated." The campus, once green and lush, has turned brown. Trees are watered with buckets to keep them alive. "Brown is the New Green" signs have been posted to keep up morale. Some schools have installed non-flush urinals to save water. A s t e r r i b l e a s t h e d ro u g h t h a s b e e n , t h e hardship has united the town and the school com- munity, say students and staff with pride. Yazil Iniguez, a junior at Granite Hills, says students try to stay posi- tive and focus on school. "One way or another, we'll get through it," she says. Her classmate Leslie Ontiveros, also a junior, tries to be upbeat as well; she is currently working on a community service project to encour- age conservation and collect bottled water donations. "I know at my school we are thinking of ourselves more as a family these days," says Lambie. "Everyone is stepping up, including students, teachers and community leaders. At my church, we've done a lot of pray- ing. We're all praying for water. We're all praying for El Niño." • Cheerleaders at Vintage High School in Napa (below) held a "Waterless Car Wash" to raise money for their cheer and dance program. Instead of soap and water, the Crusherettes used an eco-friendly cleaning solution. The event was a hit with customers. • Sunny Hills and Troy high schools in Ful- lerton drained leaking swimming pools to comply with state-ordered cutbacks. Both schools' swimming and water polo teams practice elsewhere. • Five South Bay high schools switched to artificial turf to upgrade athletic fields and save water, including the Field of Dreams at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale. • Students involved with university farms across the state are switching to drought-resistant crops. Student farm- ers at CSU Chico are importing hay from Oregon to cope with the lack of edible grass for livestock. Richard Lambie says Granite Hills High School opens its shower rooms an hour before school starts so students without water at home can shower. Henry Franco WHAT'S WORKING S C H O O L S H AV E B E C O M E creative in efforts to con- serve water. Among their actions: 30 cta.org F E A T U R E