A Talented Group of Young Artists are Showcased at the 2015 OU International WaTER Conference

The 2015 OU International WaTER Conference showcased the winners of the K-12 Clean Water Poster and Video Contest. The WaTER Center sponsored contest is part of the center’s K-12 outreach program to help bring awareness of global water issues to young members of our community. 

More than 70 posters were entered in the K-12 Clean Water Poster and Video Contest

Student artists enjoy viewing the winning posters

 All Norman K-12 students (public, private and home schooled), as well as students from the surrounding area, were invited to participate in the biennial contest, with the new video proponent added for high-school aged participants.  Prizes were given for first, second, and third place winners in each of four categories (Kindergarten through second grade, grades three through five, grades six through eight, and grades nine through twelve). Honorable mentions were awarded in the first three categories, as well as an additional award for the teacher in each category with the greatest number of entries. The winning submissions were chosen from 71 entries. Conference attendees viewed the top winning video, and all posters entries were displayed at the WaTER Conference, held Sept. 21-23.The winning artists, and their families, were invited to attend the closing ceremonies of the conference, where the recipient of the University of Oklahoma International Water Prize, Peter Lochery, awarded their prizes.

The winners received their awards from Peter Lochery, the 2015 University of Oklahoma International Water Prize recipient

Artwork by Mason Manuel

This year’s winners in the  grades Kindergarten through two category were Michael Beam (first place), Matthew Davis (second place) and Alex Washington (third place), the grades three through five category Julia Gries (first place), George Cody (second place) and Emily Jewell (third place), with honorable mentions to Niya Murray and Zoe Porch, the grades six through eight category Ayaka Orikasa (first place), D’layna Van Der Merwe (second place) and Ryoko Orikasa (third place), with an honorable mention to Mason Manuel, and the grades nine through twelve category Yoshi Orikasa (first place) and Konoka Orikasa (second place).  The winning teachers included Ms. Cheryl Pantalone (Kindergarten through second grade) from New Dimensions Academy, Ms. Lesli Arnold (grades three through five) from Jefferson Elementary and Ms. Loretta Coker (grades six through eight) from Longfellow Middle School.