Tag Archive for: 2026 Student Poster Contest

Five high school seniors were awarded scholarships by the Vista Irrigation District at its May board meeting. L to R: Rahel Chiwai, Stephanie Aguliar, Yahir Landeros, Taylor Sheridan, and Kawai Chau. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Vista Irrigation District Names Art Contest and Scholarship Winners

/in , /by

The Vista Irrigation District recognized students from its communities for winning artwork in its annual poster contest, and awarded college scholarships to five deserving high school seniors.

Scholarship Winners Highlight Water Issues

Vista Irrigation District’s annual scholarship contest is open to high school seniors living within the district’s service area. Students must submit applications demonstrating their knowledge and awareness of water-related issues affecting the district.

The winning applicants:

Rahel Chiwai, who attends Mission Charbel Vista High School, received the top $3,000 scholarship.

Rancho Buena Vista High School senior Taylor Sheridan received a $2,500 scholarship.

Three $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Stephanie Aguilar from Mission Vista High School, Kawai Chau from Rancho Buena Vista High School, and Yahir Landeros of Vista High School.

Student Share Water Conservation Messages Through Art

Vista Irrigation District staff selected work by three fourth-grade students from the local community as winners of two separate district‑sponsored contests.

The 2026 Student Water Awareness Poster Contest targets fourth-grade students. It is designed to promote an understanding of water issues in elementary schools.

This year’s theme was “Love Water, Save Water.”

The three winning posters were selected from 168 entries based on their depiction of the theme, artwork, originality, and poster design.

All three winners’ artwork will appear in the 2027 Water Awareness Calendar, which will be available, free of charge, at the district’s office in November 2026.

Winning Poster Contest Entries

First Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Charbel Merhi. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

First Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Charbel Merhi. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Charbel Merhi, a fourth-grade student from St. Francis of Assisi School, received first-place honors from the Vista Irrigation District for his entry in the 2026 Water Awareness Poster Contest. He received a $100 award.

Second Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Riley Semer. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Second Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Riley Semer. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Riley Semer, a fourth-grade student also from St. Francis of Assisi School, received second place and a $50 award.

Third Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Zoey Watts. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Third Place 2026 Student Poster Contest winner: Zoey Watts. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Zoey Watts, a fourth-grader attending Empresa Elementary School, won third place and received a $25 award.

Vista Irrigation District is a public agency governed by an elected five-member board.  The district provides water service to roughly 135,000 people in the city of Vista, and portions of San Marcos, Escondido, Oceanside, and unincorporated areas of the county of San Diego.

 

Winning posters in the Helix Water District 2026 Student Poster Contest from (L to R): Brooklyn Gray, Evie Makin, and Lilly Mallory. Photo: Helix Water District

2026 Student Poster Contest Winners Named by Helix Water District

/in , /by

Helix Water District honored ten local student artists from kindergarten up through eighth grade for their winning entries in the District’s 2026 Student Poster Contest. The students were recognized by the Helix Water District board of directors in an awards ceremony at its May board meeting.

Each year, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, one of Helix’s wholesale water providers, holds a regional poster contest to raise students’ awareness of water. Students are asked to create a design of their choice showcasing the theme “Being Water Wise Is.”

Helix Water District promotes the contest to all schools within its service area.

The following student artists took top honors for 2026.

First Place, K-2 Division: Evie Makin, Second Grade, La Mesa Dale Elementary School, La Mesa. Photo: Helix Water District 2026 Student Poster Contest

First Place, K-2 Division: Evie Makin, Second Grade, La Mesa Dale Elementary School, La Mesa. Photo: Helix Water District

Grades K – 2 Category

First Place: Evie Makin, Second Grade, La Mesa Dale Elementary School, La Mesa

First place in the Grade 3-4 category: Heather Medina, Highlands Elementary School. Photo: Helix Water DIstrict

Grades 3 – 4 Category

First Place: Heather Medina, Fourth Grade, Highlands Elementary School, La Mesa

Grades 3 and 4 winners: First Place: Heather Medina, and Second Place: Zoey Castillo, both at Highlands Elementary School in La Mesa; Third Place: Joy-Elise Tavarez, Northmont Elementary School, La Mesa; and Honorable Mention: Hayley Argyle, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District 2026 Student Poster Contest

Grades 3 and 4 winners: Second Place: Zoey Castillo, Highlands Elementary School in La Mesa; Third Place: Joy-Elise Tavarez, Northmont Elementary School, La Mesa; and Honorable Mention: Hayley Argyle, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District

 

Second Place: Zoey Castillo, Fourth Grade, Highlands Elementary School, La Mesa

Third Place: Joy-Elise Tavarez, Fourth Grade at Northmont Elementary School, La Mesa

Honorable Mention: Hayley Argyle, Fourth Grade at Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon

 

 

Fifth grade winners: First Place: Lilly Mallory, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon; Second Place: Brooklynn Harr, Fletcher Hills Elementary School, El Cajon; Third Place: Natalie Trillas, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District 2026 Student Poster Contest

Fifth grade winners: First Place: Lilly Mallory, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon; Second Place: Brooklynn Harr, Fletcher Hills Elementary School, El Cajon; Third Place: Natalie Trillas, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District

Grade 5 Category

First Place: Lilly Mallory, Fifth Grade at Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon

Second Place: Brooklynn Harr, Fifth Grade, Fletcher Hills Elementary School, El Cajon

Third Place: Natalie Trillas, Fifth Grade, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon

Grades 6-8 Winners: First Place: Brooklyn Gray, Seventh Grade, Learning Choice Academy, La Mesa; and Honorable Mention: Mikaela Moore, Fifth Grade, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District

Grades 6-8 Winners: First Place: Brooklyn Gray, Seventh Grade, Learning Choice Academy, La Mesa; and Honorable Mention: Mikaela Moore, Fifth Grade, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon. Photo: Helix Water District

Grades 6 – 8 Category

First Place: Brooklyn Gray, Seventh Grade, Learning Choice Academy, La Mesa

Honorable Mention: Mikaela Moore, Fifth Grade, Flying Hills School of the Arts, El Cajon

Helix Students On a Seven-Year Winning Streak

The Helix Water District now forwards the winning posters to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to be considered for inclusion in its 2027 “Being Water Wise Is” calendar.

Helix Water District winners have been selected for the Metropolitan calendar every year since 2020. Eighth grade student Emma Phillips of Christ Lutheran School was selected for the 2026 calendar. Her artwork appears on the August 2026 page.

Helix Charter High School ninth-grade student Catalina Jones’ artwork has been selected for the Metropolitan calendar twice. Her artwork appeared in the 2024 calendar and the 2023 calendar.

Other winning students include Charlotte Chatham (2025), Cameryn Kovar (2024), Clare Brandt (2023), Lucas Regimbal (2022), Jose Sabedra and Mina Saeed (2021), and Valeria Ramirez (2020).

The 2026 winning posters are posted on the district’s website at www.hwd.com and Facebook page.