On June 1, PA American Water announced the winners of its 19th Annual Protect Our Watersheds Art Contest, with a sixth-grade student from Allegheny County scoring top honors.

Sixth grader Ishi Gupta of South Fayette Middle School earned the grand prize for her artwork, which will be featured on the cover of Pennsylvania American Water’s first-ever “Protect Our Watersheds” wall calendar. The calendars will be printed and distributed across the Commonwealth later this year.

The company received nearly 200 entries from fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders across the Commonwealth.

“With increasing emphasis on environmental education in schools, we are seeing more students take an active role in watershed preservation and protection,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “Activities like our art contest help to remind us that we all have a part in protecting our water sources.”

Gupta’s artwork earned first prize among western Pennsylvania entries, followed by Clare Johnson, a sixth-grade student from Thomas Jefferson Middle School (Allegheny County), in second place. Sixth grader Lizzie O’toole McKenna, also of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, finished third.

In eastern Pennsylvania, the first-place winner is Lia Limongelli, a sixth-grade student from Holy Rosary School (Luzerne County), with second place going to fourth-grader Veronica Griffith from Berks County, and fifth-grader Bianca Tolorico from St. Mary Mt. Carmel School (Lackawanna County) earning third place.

The winning students will receive Barnes & Noble gift cards.

In addition, six runners-up have been selected and will also have their artwork featured in the calendar.

They are Arjun Kairi, a fourth-grader at Mt. Lebanon Montessori School (Allegheny County), Sydney Ogoreuc, a sixth-grader at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (Allegheny County), Morgan Riddle, a sixth-grader from Southmoreland Middle School (Fayette County), Alice Hollenbach, a fifth-grader from Meadowbrook Christian School (Union County), Lillian Michael, a fourth-grader from Fairview Elementary (Luzerne County), and Eileen Wang, sixth-grader from Harrisburg Academy (Cumberland County).

Pennsylvania American Water’s contest requires that the students accompany their artwork with a short description of how watershed protection affects them personally.

For more information on this program, visit PA American Water’s Protect Our Watersheds Art Contest webpage.

(Photo: Sixth-grader Ishi Gupta of South Fayette Middle School, Allegheny County, winning entry.)

Related Articles:

-- PA American Water Awards Over $45,000 In Local Watershed Project Grants

-- High-Performing Students Earn PA American Water's 2021 Stream Of Learning Scholarships

[Posted: June 1, 2021]

6/7/2021