Submitted
On Tuesday, April 5, the annual KSU Watersheds and City of Hays Water Poster Contest “Make Every Drop Count” winners were announced.
The 2022 theme was “Make Every Drop Count.”
A total of 337 posters were entered in categories pre-school through community/adult from 26 teachers and classrooms.
The awards celebration was held at the Hays Public Library with students, teachers and family members present.
Hays City Commissioner, Michael Berges, congratulated each winner along with Wally, the City of Hays waterdrop mascot. Holly Dickman, city of Hays water conservation specialist, Joe Billinger, city of Hays stormwater superintendent, and Stacie Minson, KSU Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watershed specialist, helped with the awards ceremony.
“This year the entries were amazing and really showed attention to detail on how to conserve water and on how to protect our water," Minson said. "We look forward to judging the entries every year and then getting to highlight the community’s water messages.”
Dickman said “it’s a rewarding part of my job to go into the classrooms and share water conservation (tips) with students and teachers as they get ready to design their posters.”
The “Make Every Drop Count” posters focused on water conservation or stormwater/water quality messages. Posters showed how to reduce water usage indoors, outdoors, and/or at home and work. Also, posters shared how to reduce sediment, nutrients, and E. coli bacteria, household chemicals, etc., that are harmful to water sources.
Winning posters will be displayed at Tri-Central Office Suppl, 1101 Main, during the month of May and at the Ellis County Fair July 16-23.
The 2022 “Make Every Drop Count” poster winners include:
GRADE PLACING NAME
Pre-K 1st Sydney Wince
K 1st Alina Sun
2nd Benjamin Marintzer
3rd Willa Hill
1st 1st Jade Whitmer
2nd Jace Leiker
3rd Kersee Wince
2nd 1st Kelton Legleiter
2nd Theron Walters
3rd Oliver Buckstead
3rd 1st Ruby Ma
2nd Grayson Decker
3rd Kincaid Demel
4th 1st Niko
Tsereteli
2nd Jadon Conner
3rd Mason Basgall
5th 1st Aura
Bai
2nd Kiana Sun
3rd Josiah Olmstead
6th 1st Ana
Lopez
2nd Carissa Sun
3rd Kesaria Tsereteli
7th 1st Jacob
Fisher
2nd Kaleigha Mae Arias
3rd Xiarhianna Hood
8th 1st Taylor
Tutak
2nd Emily Ross
3rd Raegan Brewer
OVERALL JR. HIGH WINNERS
1st Taylor Tutak
2nd Ana Lopez
3rd Jacob Fisher
OVERALL HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
1st Mika Zimmerman
2nd Kaden Haas
3rd Marisa Wasinger
OVERALL FHSU WINNERS
1st Aubrey Warden
2nd Ashley Pachta
3rd Samantha Leiker
OVERALL ADULT DIVISION WINNERS
1st Kathy Satomi
2nd Jian Sun
3rd Kenda Leiker
To learn more about water conservation and stormwater/water quality for poster ideas, visit www.watersmarthays.com or the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE) at www.kcare.k-state.edu/wrip/wraps/big-creek-and-middle-smoky-hill-watersheds/special_events.html (special events tab).
For questions, call Stacie Minson, KSU watershed specialist, 785-769-3297 or Holly Dickman, city of Hays water conservation specialist, 785-628-7350.