Bethpage Water District (BWD) Commissioners Chairman William J. Ellinger, Secretary Gary S. Bretton and Treasurer John R. Sullivan recently congratulated the top three students from each grade who submitted posters that best answered the question, “How Can I Conserve and Protect My Water?” during BWD’s annual poster contest Bethpage Protects, Bethpage Conserves. Eighteen students out of the total 367 participants from Bethpage School District were honored during an award ceremony at the Bethpage Fire House, where their winning posters were on public display for friends, family, school faculty and BWD staff. The district aimed to encourage students to learn more about their water supply and the power they have to influence it.
“We are overwhelmingly proud to see so many young people participate,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman William J. Ellinger. “An interest in the community’s water supply is crucial to its protection and its future.”
Student posters illustrated ways people can help conserve water by making slight changes to their daily routines. For example, many students expressed the importance of taking shorter showers, turning the water off while brushing teeth and using a broom rather than a hose to clean out driveways. Students also suggested household leaks be fixed as soon as possible to avoid water waste.
“It was incredibly difficult to pick 18 out of the over 350 students in the Bethpage School District who submitted entries to this year’s poster contest,” said Board of Commissioners Treasurer John R. Sullivan. “Win or lose, we are thrilled students, teachers, and members of the community have taken an initiative to learn and discuss one of our most vital resources.”
The poster contest is the second initiative the district has made to involve Bethpage students in lessons of their water supply this year. This past November, students toured a water district plant to learn how water is extracted from the ground and distributed to Bethpage homes daily. BWD Superintendent Michael Boufis recently taught lessons in water conservation and technology at the three elementary schools.
“Education and input is crucial to better serve our community safe, high quality water they expect and deserve,” said Board of Commissioners Secretary Gary S. Bretton. “In the years ahead, we will be challenged to think of new and innovative ways to better protect our water supply and it is our job to communicate this question to the future of the water industry, our students.”
The winners of the 2015 Bethpage Water District Water Conservation Poster Contest include: Charles Campagne Elementary School (CCS) fourth grade: Emily Herbert (first place), Ryan Cook (second place) and Georgia Karaisarides (third place.) CCS’s fifth grade winners: Kaitlyn O’Connell (first place), Katelyn Herbert (second place) and Nimrit Manj (third place.) Kramer Lane Elementary School winners: fourth graders Theofania Kranias (first place), Delaney Cusack (second place), Gianna Augugliaro (third place), and fifth graders Kayla An (first place), Dimitrios Nerantzinis (second place) and Matthew McManus (third place.) Central Boulevard Elementary School winners: fourth graders Kaitlyn Klein (first place), Luca Vosilla (second place), Julia Redman (third place), fifth graders Simoni Khashu (first place), Duha Syed (second place) and Julianna Felix (third place.)
For more information, please contact the Bethpage Water District at (516) 931-0093, log onto www.bethpagewater.com, or the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BethpageWaterDistrict.
Photo 1: Eighteen Bethpage School District students received certificates and trophies for their entries into this year’s Bethpage Water District Poster Contest “Bethpage Protects, Bethpage Conserves.” Over 350 students participated in the contest which challenged fourth and fifth grade students to answer the question, “How Can I Conserve and Protect My Water?”
Photo 2: The Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners Secretary Gary S. Bretton presents fourth grade Charles Campagne Elementary School student Georgia Karaisarides with a trophy for her award-winning poster in the district’s poster contest: “Bethpage Protects, Bethpage Conserves.”
Photo 3: Fifth grade Kramer Lane Elementary School students Theofania Kranias and Gianna Augugliaro pose with their trophies awarded to them by the Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners for their entries in the district’s poster contest “Bethpage Protects, Bethpage Conserves.” Over 350 students participated in the contest which challenged fourth and fifth grade students to answer the question, “How Can I Conserve and Protect My Water?”
Photo 4: First, second and third place was awarded to 18 fourth and fifth grade students who submitted posters to the Bethpage Water District Poster Contest that best answered the question “How Can I Conserve and Protect My Water?” Students were presented with trophies and certificates at the Bethpage Firehouse in the presence of friends, family and school officials.
