Students Create Award Winning Art in Padre Dam MWD Poster Contest

Winners of Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s “Being Water Wise Is…” 2026 Student Poster Contest were recognized at the district’s May board meeting. The winning students, along with their families and their teachers, joined the Board of Directors to admire the artwork on display.

Every year, students attending schools within the District’s service area are invited to create posters that promote the value of water.

In their artwork, students explored themes of wise and efficient water use. Student artists are in grades from kindergarten to fifth grade at Pepper Drive Elementary School, Rio Seco School, Boulder Oaks Elementary School, Carlton Oaks School, and Hill Creek School.

This insightful artwork reminds us of the value of water and the importance of protecting our most precious resource for future generations.

Award-Winning Art Selected for 2026

Luna Venegas – First Grade, Boulder Oaks Elementary School

Payson Duda – Second Grade, Carlton Oaks Elementary School

Julian Barnett – Second Grade, Rio Seco School

June Polte – Third Grade, Pepper Drive Elementary School

William Creed – Third Grade, Boulder Oaks Elementary School

Sydney Naylor – Third Grade, Boulder Oaks Elementary School

Avery Wymss – Third Grade, Boulder Oaks Elementary School

Austyn Kelly – Third Grade, Hill Creek School

Rachel Parker – Third Grade, Hill Creek School

Amelia Tuniyants – Fourth Grade, Carlton Oaks Elementary School

Charlotte Ngo – Fourth Grade, Carlton Oaks Elementary School

Clementine Abraham – Fifth Grade, Carlton Oaks Elementary School

Contest Winners Advance to Regional Competition

The posters now advance to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s regional contest, for a chance to be featured in MWD’s 2027 Art Calendar. The winners will be announced later this year.

The Student Art Calendar was created 37 years ago. It selects student art submitted from grades K through 12 to help convey vitally important water conservation messages. Member agencies submit artwork for consideration among the winners of their local competitions.

In 2026, the winning artwork created by fourth-grade student Maddy Clements from Carlton Oaks Elementary School in Santee was selected for the September 2026 page. The previous year, Kenziee Bowen, also a fourth-grade student at Carlton Oaks Elementary in Santee, represented the Padre Dam Municipal Water District in the calendar. Both students were from teacher Amile Sicat’s class.