The Southern New Mexico State Fair (SNMSF) is about rides, music, and funnel cake. It’s also about education, specifically educating students throughout the southern part of New Mexico about agriculture tying into their lives. This year, the SNMSF invited Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) to show how water service is integral to their lives and agriculture, and also how Utilities can be a consideration for future career choices.
Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District (DASWCD) reached out to have LCU’s Water Conservation Program team up for their AgVenture presentation on September 26th and 27th. The presentations are part of the NM Ag in the School program where approximately 1,200 third grade students were able to rotate through different booths in 20-minute increments to hear about different agricultural topics.
“We went with Wonderful Water, and asked students to shout out how water is wonderful in their lives,” explained Rhonda Diaz, LCU water conservation program coordinator. Diaz was joined by Marcelo Archuleta, LCU equipment operator senior, who helped construct a huge model hamburger piece-by-piece and detailed how water either grew the lettuce and tomatoes or nourished the cattle, which would become the beef patty.
“Interacting with third graders is special in that it makes them start to think about the larger process of water and how it comes from the ground and to their house,” said Diaz. “Now they can go even broader in thinking about how water sustains the food they eat before it hits their table.”
With an older set of students - middle and high school - LCU’s approach shifted. The focus became the process of providing utility services. Who are the passionate and educated people who choose Utilities as a career? In her booth, Laura Montoya, LCU pollution prevention manager, explained to students her background in chemistry and microbiology, and how studying those degrees led to a career in wastewater testing.
Diaz said, “Getting these chances to speak to high school students especially allows students to consider their own future careers and how a career with LCU could not only make use of a technical degree they could get from NMSU or Doña Ana Community College (DACC), but also give them a way to stay in the community where they already have friends and family.”
Submitted by Las Cruces Utilities at 528-3500 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Las Cruces Utilities provides GAS – WATER – WASTEWATER – SOLID WASTE services to approximately 100,000 Las Cruces residents and businesses.