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For Immediate Release
May 10, 2017

Board of Water Supply Announces Winners of Water Conservation Poster and Poetry Contest

Forty-two school children honored for place-winning and honorable mention entries

HONOLULU – The Board of Water Supply (BWS) announced the winners of its 2017 Water Conservation Week Poster and Poetry Contests today at an awards ceremony at the City and County of Honolulu's Mission Memorial Auditorium.

"This educational program demonstrates to our keiki that they can create a positive impact on our community can help make Honolulu a sustainable, environmentally-friendly city," said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.

The BWS received more than 875 posters and 300 poems in the 39th annual poster and 9th annual poetry contests. Winners were selected based on the accuracy of information, originality, creativity, and artistic or poetic ability, based on the student’s age, to convey this year’s contest theme, "Conserve to Preserve."  Winning students were each recognized and presented with awards.

"Through the BWS's Water Conservation Week program, the BWS hopes to inspire our youth to learn about Oahu’s ground water supply and how they can incorporate water conservation habits into their daily lives," said BWS Chair Bryan Andaya. "With knowledge gained in the program, they can then become models for others in the community to be water-efficient."

Top honors were awarded to 24 Oahu students in different categories from kindergarten to 12th grade, along with 18 honorable mentions. The contests invited Oahu school students in kindergarten through grade 6 to share their thoughts on the important value of water through poster art, and students in grades 7-12 to use poetry to express their views on the same subject.

"We are encouraged by these young people’s remarkable works of art and poetry," said BWS Manager and Chief Engineer Ernest Lau. "The entries creatively expressed their understanding of the value of our water supply as an irreplaceable resource and the need to use it wisely for now and the future."

The winning and honorable mention artwork and poems will be featured in the BWS's 2018 Water Conservation calendar, which will be printed and made available to the public at the end of the year, as well as posted on the BWS website at www.boardofwatersupply.com to download for free. All winning and honorable mention entries will be on exhibit at:

  • Honolulu Hale Lane Gallery from Wednesday, May 10 to May 31;  
  • Kapolei Hale from June 5 to June 23;  
  • Windward Mall from June 26 to July 14;
  • Kahala Mall from July 17 to August 11; and   
  • BWS Public Service Building Lobby from August 14 to August 31. 

This year's poster contest was judged by Anthology Group's Art Director Allan Payne, Hawaii State Department of Education (DOE) Art Resource Teacher Jonathan Fong, and BWS Water Resources Civil Engineer Iris Oda. The poetry contest was judged by the Editor of Generations Magazine, Percy Ihara, and their intern Shayna Fujimoto, DOE Instructional Practices Resource Teacher Kristin Hirata, and BWS Water Resources Civil Engineer Michael Cubas.

This year’s contests were made possible through the support of Platinum Sponsors Sodexo, the Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden, Times Supermarket and Hard Rock CafĂ© Honolulu; Gold Sponsors Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union and Hawaii Energy; and Silver Sponsors Board of Water Supply/Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union, and Pasha Hawaii.

2017 Water Conservation Week poster contest place winners:

Kindergarten

  • 1st Place: Janalyn Mison, Makalapa Elementary School
  • 2nd Place: Jocelyn Johnson, Makalapa Elementary School
  • 3rd Place: Riyah Adams, Makalapa Elementary School

First and Second Grades

  • 1st Place: Nicole Balidoy, 2nd Grade, Na'au
  • 2nd Place: Chelsey Tyau, 1st Grade, Iolani School
  • 3rd Place: Iolana Eslinger, 1st Grade, Aikahi Elementary School

Third and Fourth Grades

  • 1st Place: Landri Otake, 3rd Grade, Na'au
  • 2nd Place: Makoa Menino, 4th Grade, Makalapa Elementary School
  • 3rd Place: Caydence Nguyen, 3rd Grade, Na'au

Fifth and Sixth Grades

  • 1st Place: Arlia Encomienda, 6th Grade, Kapolei Middle School
  • 2nd Place: Kevin Kalani, 5th Grade, Keoneula Elementary School
  • 3rd Place: Taylor DeSa, 5th Grade, Salt Lake Elementary School

2017 Water Conservation Week poetry contest place winners:

Seventh and Eighth Grades

  • 1st Place: Chundari Nishiki, 7th Grade, Myron B. Thompson Academy
  • 2nd Place: Thomas Rivera, 8th Grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School
  • 3rd Place: Kira Augustin, 7th Grade, Na'au
  • 4th Place: Rhusel Rivera, 8th Grade, St. John the Baptist Catholic School

Ninth and Tenth Grades

  • 1st Place: Samantha Chang, 9th Grade, Moanalua High School
  • 2nd Place: Amy Giang, 9th Grade, Moanalua High School
  • 3rd Place: Natalie McNight-Sur, 10th Grade, St. Andrew's Schools
  • 4th Place: Joshua Galeria, 9th Grade, Moanalua High School

Eleventh and Twelfth Grades

  • 1st Place: Lia Asato, 12th Grade, Moanalua High School
  • 2nd Place: Hannah Mercado, 11th Grade, Calvary Chapel Christian School
  • 3rd Place: Alyssa Lo, 11th Grade, Na'au
  • 4th Place: Kathrynn Hamada, 11th Grade, Mililani High School

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poster and poetry contest winners 2017

poster contest winners 2017

poetry contest winners 2017

Photos are attached for your consideration and use. The photos are courtesy of the Board of Water Supply.


Contact:

Kathleen Elliott-Pahinui
Information Officer
Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Phone: (808) 748-5319