Hicksville Water District superintendent Paul Granger is no stranger to water poster contests. He has hosted them on and off for the past 25 years during his long career at various Long Island water districts.

“From early on, our public relations firm suggested that if we wanted to educate our residents on the importance of water conservation, we should start with the young children,” Granger says. “That started our very first poster contest, and it has been gaining traction ever since.”

The Hicksville district lies within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County on Long Island. It supplies 2 billion gallons of water per year to nearly 48,000 residents.

The contest began in 2018. Entries have averaged 100 per year, but in 2023 there were 250.

“The contest has really caught on and it continues to grow every year as it gains popularity with the educators, school administration and, of course, the students,” Granger says.

Ready, set, draw!

Children in grades 1-5 are eligible. The water district works with the administration and teachers at the five public elementary schools in the Hicksville School District. There is one winner per class and a total of 25 to 30 winners each year.

The contest and its theme are announced during the first week of May to coincide with National Drinking Water Week. The schools provide the art supplies. The students have a few weeks to complete their drawings and turn them in to their teachers who forward them to the school district’s director of fine arts.

The drawings are then sent to the water district for review and judging.  First district staff members go through the submissions and make recommendations for the winning entries to the three members of the board of commissioners, who have the final say and pick one winner for each class.

As the children progress through the grades, some may win more than once. The contest was conducted virtually during the COVID pandemic. Participation is voluntary, but most teachers take part and promote the contest to their students.

The theme every year revolves around water conservation. “A lot of the posters contain pictures of water, washing hands, correlations to nature, wildlife and the planet,” says Granger. “Some submissions are very creative and unique and show that the students really put a lot of thought into them.”

Celebrating the winners

Once the winners are chosen, the schools and the students are notified. An awards ceremony is set after a venue is selected for 100 or more attendees. The awards ceremony is held in the early evening of a day in mid-June, just before the end of the school year. Winning posters are displayed around the venue on easels, bulletin boards and the walls.

The student winners bring their parents and often their siblings. Each winner receives a $25 gift card, a personalized certificate of recognition, and district-themed reusable water bottles, Frisbee discs and tote bags.

A group photo is taken of the winners holding their certificates; each child receives a copy. Parents and family members also take pictures of the children with their posters and prizes. A reception follows.

“Hicksville is a very diverse community of residents coming from many cultural backgrounds,” Granger observes. “It’s so nice to see families and the community coming together to celebrate the winners and their creativity and hard work. It is refreshing to see all the energy in the room for the celebration.”