It all started 16 years ago. The Groundwater festival has been an opportunity combining fun and learning about Nebraska's lifeline - water. This year more than one thousand fourth and fifth graders from across the state descended on the Central Community College Grand Island campus for the festival. The theme was "team groundwater," a concept that organizers say was a must to continue to pull off the event.

The festival contains dozens of presenters that give kids an up-close and personal look at how water affects their lives. One Aurora student, Myles Jasnowski, says, "It's very important because if we didn't learn about water, then we wouldn't care."

The event has become so successful over the years that organizer Carla Mansfield says there is a waiting list of schools wanting to take part in the festival.