May 25, 2012 > Conservation and quality highlight water award ceremonies Conservation and quality highlight water award ceremonies Submitted By Frank Jahn Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it. Lao Tzu Water equals life; it can exist as a solid, liquid or gas that can be both flexible as well as one of the strongest forces in nature. We, human beings, cannot exist without water; in fact, the majority of our bodies are composed of this amazing compound. Assuring the best quality and a continuous supply of water to our communities is serious business. Local water districts, including the Alameda County Water District (ACWD) which services the Tri-Cities, accomplish these goals using their knowledge, equipment, facilities and testing to make sure this essential resource is always available. A large part of this endeavor is focused on education so that everyone, especially children, know how to protect their water sources from overuse and environmental disaster. For the past 15 years, ACWD has visited classrooms to help students understand how water is collected and distributed throughout the Tri-Cities. Last year, over 27,000 students were involved with ACWD classroom activities, resulting in over 1,200 entries from 40 schools and 130 classrooms in the annual Water Conservation Poster and Slogan Contest. More than 120 people attended the awards ceremony on May 17 at ACWD Headquarters in Fremont. Thirty-seven students from public and private schools in Fremont, Newark, and Union City were honored for their creativity in producing posters and slogans, reminding residents of the Tri-City area of the importance of using water wisely. Winning entries appear in ACWD's 2012-2013 Water Conservation Calendar. Twenty-five posters and 12 slogans were judged to be the winners (based on artistic ability, creativity, and water conservation message) and highlighted in this year's calendar. Athena Kwan, a sixth grader at Patterson Elementary School in Fremont, was the grand prize winner in this year's contest. Her poster appears on the cover of the Water Conservation Calendar. Mrs. Palamuttam, Kwan's teacher, received a check for $250 she can use for a classroom project or field trip. Jeslyn Wu, a second grader at Chadbourne Elementary School in Fremont, and Sky Juinio, a fourth grader at Kitayama Elementary School in Union City, were both first place winners. Their posters also appear prominently in the calendar. Each winner was congratulated by an ACWD Board member. Winners received award certificates and gift certificates to a local department store. The Poster and Slogan Contest is an annual event open to first- through sixth-grade classrooms in the ACWD service area. Entries this year represented 40 schools and more than 130 classrooms. ACWD has sponsored the Poster and Slogan Contest since 1998. The Poster and Slogan Contest is just one element of ACWD's School Education Program that provides local school classrooms with educational resources to learn about water science and management to help our citizens make informed decisions regarding state and local water resources. Grand Prize Winner Athena Kwan * Grade 6 * Patterson Elementary School Teacher: Mary Palamuttam First Place Grades 1-3 Jeslyn Wu * Grade 2 * Chadbourne Elementary School Teacher: Anne Perry First Place Grades 4-6 Sky Juinio * Grade 4 * Kitayama Elementary School Teacher: Emily Vega and Ermina Teramura Poster Winners Valerie Nguyen * Grade 1 * Our Lady of the Rosary School Jessica Liu * Grade 6 * Warm Springs Elementary School Allison Xu * Grade 6 * Gomes Elementary School Katherine Guo * Grade 5 * Chadbourne Elementary School Tracey Du * Grade 4 * Weibel Elementary School Alice Zhou * Grade 3 * Mission San Jose Elementary School Era Dewan * Grade 4 * Mission Valley Elementary School Benny Feng * Grade 5 * Chadbourne Elementary School Ishika Goel * Grade 6 * Stratford Middle School Krish Kumar * Grade 3 * Warwick Elementary School Honorable Mentions Ashley Yu * Grade 1 * Forest Park Elementary School Charmaine Lui * Grade 2 * Forest Park Elementary School Krishan Chaudhary * Grade 2 * Kennedy Elementary School Orquidea Chou * Grade 3 * Warm Springs Elementary School Christina Yu * Grade 4 * Gomes Elementary School Helen Chen * Grade 4 * Gomes Elementary School Emily Ash * Grade 4 * Patterson Elementary School Anoushka Paranjape * Grade 5 * Mission San Jose Elementary School Shivani Upadhyay * Grade 5 * Chadbourne Elementary School Nancy Zuo * Grade 5 * Weibel Elementary School Frances Li * Grade 6 * Gomes Elementary School Seona Patel * Grade 6 * Mission San Jose Elementary School 2012 Slogan Winners It's a snap to turn off the tap. Dominic Waymire * Grade 4 * Hirsch Elementary School Help yourself and animals in one way... By saving water day by day. Allie Becker * Grade 6 * Azevada Elementary School Hope and happiness in every drop, save water non-stop! Diya Indoliya * Grade 4 * Bunker Elementary School When taking a shower, use only two minutes. Water is life, and it's not infinite! Waylon Peng * Grade 6 * Gomes Elementary School Water conservation is like homework, it seems hard but it really isn't. William Yoo * Grade 6 * Warm Springs Elementary School Water, water, everywhere, let's save some so there is enough to share. Amelia DiPaola * Grade 6 * Brookvale Elementary School Don't be cruel, save water, our natural jewel. Sraavya Sambara * Grade 4 * Parkmont Elementary School Water, water's what we need! Water, water grows a seed! Water, water's everywhere! Water, water do your share... Save Water! Anthara Krishnan * Grade 6 * New Horizons School Dripping faucets are no good, turn them off, yes you should. Naylana Horn * Grade 4 * Green Elementary School Don't let the bathtub overflow, turn off the water when it's still low. Larry Shi * Grade 5 * Gomes Elementary School We are one mighty big nation, so let's save water for our next generation! Archa Dileep * Grade 4 * Stratford School Plants wither without water. Bea Echanes * Grade 5 * Alvarado Elementary School