Colorful prints of Florida wildlife and nature decorated the tables recently when Orange County Utilities and Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) honored K-12 student artists whose artwork is featured in the annual Water Conservation Calendar.<\/p>\n
Every year, OCPS students are invited to draw artwork or paint rain barrels to feature in the pages of the calendar published by Orange County Utilities.<\/p>\n
This year, over 10,000 students at nearly 40 schools participated in the tradition that has been a staple in Orange County for 21 years.<\/p>\n
The 2026 calendar features 13 drawings and painted rain barrels, along with six honorable mentions. The cover includes a watercolor of an amphibian in a serene pond setting by a Colonial High School freshman. It also features a team effort from Oak Ridge High School students who created a rain barrel adorned with a parade of jellyfish and other ocean life.<\/p>\n
The calendar outreach effort was introduced in 2005 to educate and inform students about the importance of water conservation \u2013 a win-win that hopefully will influence good water-saving habits well into the future.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s calendar contest culminated with a recent ceremony during Water Conservation Month in April, where teachers were thanked, and students had an opportunity to shine.<\/p>\n