Spring-Ford Students Win Prizes In 'Protect Our Watershed' Art Contest

Pennsylvania American Water has announced the winners of its 14th Annual “Protect Our Watersheds” Art Contest, with a sixth grader from Spring-Ford School District, Montgomery County, earning the top spot. The company received several hundred entries from fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders across the commonwealth. Pennsylvania American Water announced the contest winners as part of National Drinking Water Week, which runs May 1-7.

Spring-Ford’s Sanaa Amanullah earned the grand prize for her artwork depicting hands holding a stream and forest wildlife, with the reminder that “the power is in your hands.” Her artwork will be featured on “bloomer cards” and distributed across the state by Pennsylvania American Water. Bloomers are seed-filled cards that, when planted and tended, produce a variety of wildflowers.

"Our contest has continued to grow over the years, as has the creativity we see from the children and their messages expressing the need to preserve our water sources," said Pennsylvania American Water President Kathy L. Pape. "The environmental education incorporated into this contest helps them better understand the importance of protecting our environment.”

Margo Bonal, a sixth-grade homeschool student from Washington County earned first place for western Pennsylvania. Second place winners were Hayley Roberts, also a sixth-grade student from Spring-Ford in the east; and Jordan Smith, a sixth-grade student from Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Allegheny Couny, in western Pennsylvania. Third place winners were Madelyn Pardue, a fifth-grader from Abington Heights Middle School, Lackawanna County, in the east; and Clare Jones, a sixth-grader also from Thomas Jefferson Middle School. All students will receive gift cards for their winning entries.

Pennsylvania American Water’s contest requires that the students accompany their artwork with a short description of how watershed protection affects them personally. After reviewing the entries, a panel of judges selected three top drawings from both eastern and western Pennsylvania before naming Amanullah as the grand prize winner.

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. Marking its 130th anniversary this year, the company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.