Student Artists Show How To Make Every Drop Count
By Melanie Kopacz
South Florida is surrounded by water. And with summer, comes the rainy season. But while it’s one of the wettest areas of the country, with more than 50 inches of rainfall a year, there’s always the danger of drought conditions. Conserving our water supply yearround is key, and elementary and middle school students in Wellington and across the state are being recognized for turning their water conservation ideas into award-winning works of art through the Drop Savers poster contest. “This is an educational component of our water conservation effort,” Wellington Utilities Director Shannon LaRocque explained. The Drop Savers poster contest is an effort by the Florida Statewide American Waterworks Association. Students are encouraged to create posters depicting water conservation and awareness. A panel of judges base the winners on message, creativity and originality. First-place winners move up to the state level of the competition. In all, 195 students from four local schools participated this spring. Eight of the winners were from Panther Run Elementary School and Wellington Landings Middle School. The Wellington Village Council recognized them in March, while the posters helped promote April as Water Conservation Month.
The Wellington Village Council honors the Drop Savers local contest winners.
“It’s starting that education at a young age, so it becomes habitual through life,” LaRocque said. Last year was the first time that Wellington participated in the contest. Then a third-grader, Grace Bostwick from Panther Run won at the state level. Her artwork is now part of a special calendar. This year, five students from Panther Run took top honors at the local level. At the elementary level, fourth-grader Gabriella Pedicino took first place in Division 3, which is comprised of fourthgrades and fifth-graders. Paige Albert, a fifth-grader, took second. Returning first-place contest winner Lauren Allen, a fifth-grader, took third this time. In Division 2, which encompasses
students in second and third grades, Maibelin Fernandez, a second-grader at Panther Run, took second place, while Wilmide Derastel, a third-grader, won first place in her division. “I drew a water drop that’s sad,” Derastel explained. “The letters are dry with no water, like land. I think water makes the world a better place to live in, because we use water for many things. If you waste less water, it’ll make the world a better place.” That’s a lesson that’s close to the heart of her mother, Fabiola Gene. Gene is from Haiti, where she said clean drinking water is hard to come by. “You see kids drinking dirty water. It’s sad. I remind my daughter not to waste water,” Gene said.
Posters designed by students (L-R) Wilmide Derastel, Maibelin Fernandez and Gabriella Pedicino of Panther Run. wellington the magazine | august 2018
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