Orange County Utilities and Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) recently gathered to honor imaginative K-12 student artists whose work is featured in the annual Water Conservation Calendar, now a 20-year tradition.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the school year, OCPS art teachers invited K-12 students to draw artwork while middle and high schoolers had the added option of painting rain barrels, which are used to capture rainwater for irrigation.<\/p>\n
The 2025 calendar ultimately featured 13 drawings and painted rain barrels along with six honorable mentions.<\/p>\n
Various images\u2014from colorful depictions of the earth to wildlife including whales and other sea life\u2014that supported the water conservation message are featured throughout this year\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n
The student artists selected were then recognized during a special awards ceremony where their families, teachers, and staff celebrated their accomplishments.<\/p>\n
The overarching purpose of the awards ceremony was to shine a spotlight on the student efforts and their selected artwork, while also thanking the teachers for their support.<\/p>\n
County, school district, and utility leaders praised the effort, which annually focuses on conservation during national Water Conservation Month in April.<\/p>\n
The goal of the two-decades-old calendar program that started in 2005 is to focus on creative talents while instilling in young artists the importance of using water wisely throughout their burgeoning lives.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to this year\u2019s winning artists.<\/p>\n