Lake Bluff Third Grade Rain Barrel Auction 2023

The Lake Bluff third graders in Mrs. Eiers and Ms. Walton's classrooms have painted beautiful rain barrels as the final project for their expedition about the local watershed and its impact on the water quality of Lake Michigan.

The rain barrels are from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD). They are 50 gallon EarthMinded Rainstation50 rain barrels that come with a diverter kit that includes everything you need for easy installation. The rain barrels will also come with a link to a video created by MMSD to help you easily install your rain barrel.

Each rain barrel is unique and was designed and painted by a group of third graders. A clear protective coating was added to the barrel to protect the paint from the elements.

The money raised will go towards the purchase of rain barrels for next year's third graders to use for their expedition. Any remaining funds will be used to buy supplies to paint the barrels. The students are so excited to have the opportunity to make a positive difference in their community and its watershed.

The Lake Bluff third grade students recently completed their expedition called "Where Does the Flow Go?". They learned about the importance of water and the Great Lakes, and how watersheds affect the quality of water in the Great Lakes. As part of their study, they investigated green infrastructure and its importance in keeping water out of the sewer system and improving water quality. Rain barrels are an example of green infrastructure that can have a big impact on a watershed. So for the students' final project, they have painted rain barrels, some of which were generously donated by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), to auction off to community members.