Thank you to the hundreds of K-6th grade students that participated in the 11th Annual Student Art Calendar Contest! We had a hefty 1,500 submissions. Your creativity and artistic skills help to educate your friends, family and community about the importance of groundwater and water conservation.
Take a look at the 2026 Water Awareness Calendar here to check out at all their artwork!

TO ENTER:

Step 1 - Check your Eligibility

To enter you must be in K-6th grade and reside, or go to school, in the WRD service area of southern Los Angeles County. Please see a map of our service area and a list of the 43 cities we serve by visiting our website.

Step 2 – Create Your Artwork

It’s difficult for nature to provide the environment and us humans with enough water to live, grow, and stay healthy. That’s why it’s so important that we understand where our water comes from and practice saving water every day. To help us spread the word on water conservation, please choose from the four topics below for your artwork.

Contest Topic Options - Choose ONE:

1. EVERY DROP COUNTS: Small Actions, Big Water Savings
2. GUARDIANS OF OUR GROUNDWATER: Protecting the Basin for Generations
3. NATURE’S WATER HEROES: Plants, Animals, and People Working Together

To Win, Your Artwork Must:

1. Demonstrate the importance of groundwater and/or water conservation.
2. Be submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" paper in horizontal orientation by November 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm 
3. Include parental consent:
   Mail-in entries must include a signed Parental Approval Form (En español aquí).
   Online entries can use the webform for consent instead.

Don’t get disqualified!

• Artwork must be original: no computer-made or copyrighted materials such as superhero characters.
• If you submit online, keep your original artwork! You will need to send it in by November 30, 2026 if you are selected as a finalist.
• One entry per student only.

Get inspired!

• For lessons on groundwater and water conservation, check out our Eco Kids online activities!

Step 3 – Submit Your Artwork and Parental Consent

The deadline for students to enter their artwork is Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm. You can submit your artwork and parental approval by mail or online.

To Submit Online:

• Click the button below and complete the webform.
• Upload a clear photo of your artwork and provide parental consent by clicking the checkbox in the form.
• Keep your original artwork! If you are selected as a finalist, you'll need to send it in by Nov 30, 2026.
• SUBMIT ONLINE HERE
   

To Submit by Mail or Drop Off: 

• Send original artwork and signed parental approval form (PAF) to:
• Attn: WRD Student Art Conest
  Water Replenishment District 
  4040 Paramount Blvd.
  Lakewood, CA 90712
  *Note that WRD has a drop box to the left of the front doors for drop offs after business hours
   

Step 4 – The Judging Panel Selects Finalists & Winners

The judging panel goes through the hundreds of submissions that we receive each year and looks for how well the topic was addressed with creativity, thoughtfulness, and composition. Selected finalists will be contacted in the middle of November.

Selected finalists who submitted their entries using the online form will be required to send their original artwork to WRD by November 30, 2026 to qualify for their prize. So keep your artwork original artwork until then! Once the original artwork from a Finalist is recieved by WRD, they will be automatically considered a Winner.

Winning entries that were submitted by mail will be notified in the middle of November too. Only finalists and winners will be contacted.

Step 5 – Winners Announced and Published in the 2027 Water Awareness Calendar

In early January 2027, twenty four winners of the contest will be announced online, and their artwork will appear in the 2027 Water Awareness Calendar. The Grand Prize Winner will have their artwork published on the cover of the calendar, which serves as the theme for our Annual Groundwater Festival. All winners will be invited to be recognized onstage during the Groundwater Festival program.

Prizes: The 24 winners each will have their artwork published in the 2027 Water Awareness Calendar and receive $75 Amazon Gift Card*, a certificate of achievement, a Water Nerd patch, and other school supply goodies. *Prizes provided by sponsors.

WRD will also schedule Awards Presentations at the school assemblies for all winners so that students can be recognized in front of their peers.

The "Blue Planet" we call home is named for the vast amount of water that covers it. Yet, of all this plentiful liquid, only a fraction is usable as fresh water by humans for d​​rinking, growing, washing, and cooking. In an urban region with 4 million residents and only 14 inches of average annual rainfall, it's a continual challenge to meet the water demands of southern Los Angeles County.

The WRD Water Awareness Calendar helps educate people about the importance of water and the role they can play in water conservation every day by changing their habits at home and at school.

Every year we receive hundreds of submissions and pick 23 winners and1 grand prize winner. The winners have their artwork published in the calendar and the grand prize winner has their artwork on the cover of the calendar. Winners also receive certificates of recognition, printed copies of the calendar and other fun prizes! With the help of parents and teachers, we also book awards presentations at the school assemblies for all winners.

The Grand Prize Winner will also have their artwork on the cover of the calendar, which serves as the theme for our annual Groundwater Festival. 

All students who submit a piece of artwork receive a certificate of participation and a copy of the calendar which are sent out to their schools. 

 WRD is pleased to offer teachers a Water Education Mini Grant Program to support environmental education in their classrooms. Teachers with the most participation in this year’s contest will receive a $100 grant* to spend on water education materials. (*Grants are provided by our generous Art Contest sponsors.)