Students Recognized For Conservation Posters by Vallecitos Water District
The Vallecitos Water District (VWD) Board of Directors recognized students from district schools for their excellence in the classroom through its 2025 Student Poster Art Contest at its June board meeting.
Three fourth-grade students from the local community were named winners of the district’s annual student poster art contest. The poster contest, targeting fourth-grade students, is designed to promote an understanding of water issues in elementary schools.
In this year’s contest, 30 students submitted their artwork from the 12 schools with fourth-grade classes within the San Marcos Unified School District.
This year’s theme was “Love Water, Save Water.” The three winning posters were selected from all entries based on their depiction of the theme, artwork, originality, and poster design.
The winning posters will appear in the 2026 North County Water Awareness Calendar, which will be available free at the district’s office starting in November 2025. The calendar includes winning artwork from 11 North County water agencies.
“It’s inspiring to see how fourth graders turn their creativity into powerful messages about the value of water,” said Vallecitos Board President Jim Pennock. “A big shoutout to our 2025 winners for their amazing artwork and for reminding us all how essential—and worth protecting—our water really is!”
Winning Posters Depict The Value of Water

Jimena Castillo Medina of Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School won first place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Jimena Castillo Medina, a fourth-grade student at Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School, won first place for her artwork, titled “Every Drop Counts.” Jimena says water “is good for your health and it helps people.” Her teacher is Andrea Vigil-Ruiz.

Liv Williams of Discovery Elementary School won second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Fourth-grader Liv Williams at Discovery Elementary School won second place for her entry, which featured a mountain landscape and a person immersed in the beauty of the landscape. Liv wrote in her entry that water “helps us with our daily lifestyles. It also keeps us hydrated. Last, it can be really really really pretty!” Her teacher is Holly Hartzell.

Maryanne Alvizures of Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School won third place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Third place went to fourth grader Maryanne Alvizures of Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School and also in Ms. Vigil-Ruiz’s class. Maryanne’s artwork depicts the Earth with a massive water faucet, symbolizing rain that provides water to trees, flowers, birds, and animals. Maryanne wrote, “Without water, we will not survive.”
Winning students received gift cards in the amount of $100, $75, and $50.