| Keyword |
Description |
| Drought |
A long period with very little rain that causes lakes, rivers and dams to dry up |
| Humidity |
The amount of water vapor (water in gas form) that is present in the air at a given moment |
| Water crisis |
A situation where there is not enough safe, clean water for the people, animals, and activities in a place, causing serious problems for health, homes, and the environment |
In 2022, Monterrey went through a very serious water crisis: dams almost dried out, many homes had water only a few hours a day, and some neighborhoods had none for days. A group of students at a public technical middle school were tired of missing showers, washing clothes at night and seeing their classes interrupted, so they decided to do something instead of just waiting for adults to fix it. With help from their teacher, they started a project to create machines that could give clean water to their school without depending on pipes or water trucks.
The students invented “hydrostations,” machines that use solar energy and special cooling plates to pull water from the humidity in the air. This water is used for drinking fountains, school gardens and small planters where they grow vegetables. As they worked, they learned science, technology and teamwork in a very practical way, testing ideas and improving their designs when something failed. Their hard work made them one of only 33 finalist schools from around the world for the 2026 Zayed Sustainability Prize, which supports projects that help with water, food, energy, health and climate.
The project also changed how the students see themselves and school. Instead of just “doing homework,” they feel like real problem solvers who can help their community and inspire other young people. Their school is turning into a place where students collect data, organize activities and share what they have learned with other schools. Even if they do not win the prize, they plan to keep improving their invention and show that teenagers can create powerful ideas, even in difficult situations like a water crisis.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Activity |
Actividad |
| Humidity |
Humedad |
| Community |
Comunidad |
Time to discuss
- Should students try to solve community problems, or is that only the job of adults?
- Is it fair that some neighborhoods get more water than others during a crisis?
- What is more important: saving water at home or inventing new technology to get more water?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Describe a time when a problem in your city or school made you feel frustrated. What small action could students take to improve it?
- If you could invent a machine to help the environment, what would it do and who would it help first?
