DEP Honors Young Artists in Fort Greene

Young artists and poets were honored at the 25th Annual Water Resources Art and Poetry Awards on Tuesday at Brooklyn Tech. 

Held each year by the city Department of Environmental Protection, the event stressed the importance of water conservation. On that theme, over 350 students from schools throughout the five boroughs submitted artwork and poetry.

The 24 winners utilized many different art forms to get their green-friendly message across. 

Citywide winner Mingdong Zhang, a 12th grade student from Herbert H. Lehman High School in The Bronx, utilized graphic design. Zhang created a fishbowl filled with water — with Jamaica Bay in Queens, one of the city's most important water habitat, "swimming" inside.

"I noticed that the shape of the bay resembled a fish," the Chinese-born Zhang said before reciting a famous quote from martial arts legend Bruce Lee: "Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

DEP commissioner Cas Holloway was on hand to introduce each of the winners, including five each from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, two from Staten Island and seven from Manhattan. Holloway commended each of the participants.

"Through their creativity, these students have captured some of the most important aspects of water," Holloway said. "Why it's important, where our drinking water comes from and how we can be effective water stewards."

The commissioner even dazzled the crowd with some poetry of his own:

"Green Infrastructure is here to stay, because it is green, as opposed to grey," Holloway said. "And nothing grey, like nothing gold, can stay."

Queens poet laureate, Paolo Javier, was on hand to impart some words of wisdom to the children.

"Don't be shy with your participation, and certainly don't be shy about getting this recognition and winning this award." Javier said. "Wear this success with pride."