Alta Murrieta Student Wins Water District Poster Contest

A press release issued by the Eastern Municipal Water District. Click here to view the winning artwork on the EMWD website:

A student at Alta Murrieta Elementary was one of 18 students from across the region who were recently honored for their outstanding artwork that showed the importance of water and conservation as part of the annual student poster contest presented by Eastern Municipal Water District in partnership with Rancho California Water District.

Eighteen students were honored during an award ceremony at EMWD’s Perris-based headquarters on Thursday, April 25, including five students whose artwork will move on for consideration in the “Water is Life” Student Art Program sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The five winners are Vivian O’Connor (Alta Murrieta Elementary, Murrieta); Bailey Heethuis (Ridgemoor Elementary, Menifee); Bouquet Vineyard (Community Christian School, Hemet); Antonio Ruvalcaba (North Ridge Elementary, Moreno Valley) and Julieta Ibazeta-Mendoza (Edgemont Elementary, Moreno Valley).

“The artwork these students created is exceptional,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “Our education program continues to have a positive impact in helping students understand the importance of water and conservation. I am proud of each of these students for the outstanding work they have created.”

As part of EMWD’s ongoing classroom education program, more than 13,000 grade school students across EMWD’s service area participated in the program this year, with the focus being “Water, Use it Wisely.”

Teachers selected a piece of artwork from their individual classrooms to enter into the next round of the contest. More than 300 entries were judged in October by a panel that included staff from multiple water districts, elected officials and, for the first time, a previous winner of the contest.

This year EMWD invited the public to vote for the top five finalists. The online voting ran through early April and more than 500 votes were cast to determine the five winners.

Those five entries will be forwarded to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for possible inclusion in their 2014 calendar. A ceremony will be held in December to honor the students selected for inclusion in the calendar. At least one EMWD student representative will be included.

“Being honored for their talent means everything to them and their families,” EMWD Education Specialist Malea Ortloff said. “The impact of this recognition will stay with these students for a lifetime.”

In addition to the five winners, the other finalists honored were:

Abby LaRue (Helen Hunt Jackson Elementary School, Temecula); Angel Palacios-Ortega (Jacob Wiens Elementary School, Hemet); Daniel Ruvalcaba (North Ridge Elementary School, Moreno Valley); Daniel Garcia Jr. (Ridge Crest Elementary School, Moreno Valley); Elias Rios (Nuview Elementary School, Nuevo); Le’Andra Soberanis (Innovative Horizons Charter School, Perris); Siena Buri, (Community Christian School, Hemet); Jacqueline Rodriguz-Pelayo (Palms Elementary School, Perris); Natalie Lopez (Mesa View Elementary School, Perris); Ian Ortiz Roman (Megan Cope Elementary School, San Jacinto); Abigail Mayagoitia (San Jacinto Valley Academy, San Jacinto); Isabella Vasquez-Juarez (Val Verde Elementary School, Perris); Eleiana Schultz (Mead Valley Elementary School, Perris).