Minnesota students in grades K-12 encouraged to create and submit entries by March 3
ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Mark Dayton today announced a new poster contest for Minnesota students in grades K-12, focused on highlighting the importance of clean drinking water.
With the theme of “Clean Drinking Water Starts With Me,” the contest encourages students attending schools in Minnesota to be creative in designing a hand-made poster that answers the questions: Why are water resources so important? What can each of us do to ensure a clean water future?
“Clean water is everyone’s challenge, and everyone’s responsibility,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “I encourage all Minnesota students to submit their best poster designs to help us raise awareness and foster a clean water ethic in our state.”
Governor Dayton has declared a
“Year of Water Action” urging all Minnesotans to rethink water usage in daily life, make informed consumer choices, and talk to others about clean water protection and preservation. Last week, Governor Dayton called for a new
“25 by ‘25” Water Quality Goal, which would spur innovation and collaboration around strategies to improve Minnesota’s water quality 25 percent by 2025.
“This poster contest started five years ago as a way to encourage kids to think about the importance of protecting our clean drinking water resources in Minnesota. With our state's abundance of beautiful lakes, rivers, and wetlands, it can be difficult for us to consider what life would be like without them,” said Patty Hall, founder of H20 for Life. “This contest raises awareness about water conservation and protection. Our goal is to educate and inspire youth to take the lead and ensure clean water for generations of Minnesotans to come.”
About the “Clean Drinking Water Starts With Me!” Poster Contest
The poster contest is sponsored by the Office of Governor Mark Dayton, H2O for Life, Kinetico Water Systems, the Minnesota Department of Health, Elkay, Xcel Energy, and the Minnesota Section of the American Water Works Association. Entries must be submitted by March 3, 2017.
A panel comprised of representatives from the sponsor organizations will review submissions. Submissions are eligible for prizes, including:
- Three winners receive a $50 prize (one winner each from Elementary, Middle, and High School categories). Funding for the cash award is provided by H20 for Life.
- Second and third place winners in each category will also receive prizes.
- One grand prize winner receives an Elkay water bottle filling station for their school or community.
- Teachers who have their classes participate will be entered in a drawing to receive a Kinetico K5 water filtration system that can be used in their school's staff lounge.
- Winning entries will be exhibited at the Minnesota State Capitol in late spring.
“Clean Drinking Water Starts with Me!” entries must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Posters must be created on a single sheet no larger than 9″ x 12″ construction paper and must include the tag line “Clean Drinking Water Starts with Me” to be eligible for the contest.
- Students may use a variety of mediums including, but not limited to, charcoal, crayon, pencil, markers, paint, graphics and computer generated materials.
- Posters must be original designs by participants – please do not use copyrighted materials.
- Each poster must be the original work of a single participant.
- Student’s name, grade, and school name, school address, school phone number must be included on the back of the poster.
- All K-12 age students in MN may participate, but water bottle stations will be installed in the local school or community gathering space.
- Entries become the property of the contest sponsors and may be used for display and promotion.
- All entries must be delivered or mailed to the H2O for Life office by March 3, 2017; electronic submissions will not be accepted.
Entries should be mailed to: H2O for Life, “Poster Contest,”1310 E. Hwy 96 Suite 235, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Minnesota Faces Serious Water Quality Challenges
Despite the state’s abundance of lakes, rivers, groundwater and streams, more than 40 percent of Minnesota’s waters are currently listed as impaired or polluted. Damaging aquatic invasive species have infested more than 550 lakes statewide. In addition, the water treatment plants and clean drinking water systems that make Minnesotans’ water safe are in serious disrepair. Experts estimate that Minnesota communities will need $11 billion in water infrastructure improvements over the next two decades.
Governor Dayton is calling for a
“25 by ‘25” Water Quality Goal, which would spur innovation and collaboration around strategies to improve Minnesota’s water quality 25 percent by 2025. Without additional action, the quality of Minnesota’s waters is expected to improve only 6 to 8 percent by 2034. If approved by the Legislature, Governor Dayton’s proposed new goal would engage local governments, farmers, scientists, environmental groups, and business leaders in a collaborative effort to address Minnesota’s water quality challenges.
Governor Dayton’s Opportunity Agenda: Clean, Affordable Water for All
Governor Dayton’s 2017 Opportunity Agenda for a Better Minnesota would make critical investments to provide clean, affordable water for all Minnesotans, everywhere in Minnesota. Learn more about the Governor’s major proposals below.
- Improving Water Quality at its Source – Governor Dayton has proposed a $214 million investment from Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund. This funding will support local government efforts to reduce nutrient pollution in Minnesota water and protect sensitive groundwater and drinking water resources. Doing so will reduce water pollution, save money, and provide more reliable sources of drinking water.
- Funding Farmers, Protecting Waters – In January 2017, Governor Dayton signed a landmark agreement to provide $350 million in federal funding directly to Minnesota farmers, while working to protect and improve waters across 60,000 acres in 54 Minnesota counties. As part of the agreement, Minnesota must commit $150 million in funding, with $54.8 million already invested. Governor Dayton is proposing to invest $30 million for this effort as part of his Opportunity Agenda, to protect and improve our waters while supporting Minnesota farmers.
- Water Quality Buffer Aid Payments – In 2015, Governor Dayton and bipartisan lawmakers in the Legislature started a new effort to protect and improve water quality in Minnesota, requiring water quality buffers to reduce runoff into Minnesota waters. To help alleviate the cost of compliance for Minnesota farmers, the Dayton Opportunity Agenda would invest $40 an acre to provide direct payments to farmers implementing water quality buffers on their land.
- Water Infrastructure Funding Program – Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would provide $80 million for the Water Infrastructure Funding Program to increase aid to communities that are rehabilitating aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure systems. Grant funding is based on the average household income of residents and is designed to keep clean water affordable for Minnesotans.
- Point Source Implementation Grant Program – Approximately 4,603 bodies of water in Minnesota are now impaired – meaning they aren’t swimmable, fishable, or most importantly, drinkable. The Dayton Jobs Bill would invest $62 million in the Point Source Implementation Grant Program to help lift the burden on local governments to pay for needed water treatment plant upgrades, begin improving water quality across the state, and reduce water costs for Minnesota consumers.
Governor Dayton has declared a
“Year of Water Action” urging all Minnesotans to rethink water usage in daily life, make informed consumer choices, and talk to others about clean water protection and preservation. In January, Governor Dayton convened a
Town Hall Water Summit in Morris to discuss water challenges and solutions in Greater Minnesota.
More information about all of Governor Dayton’s proposed investments in clean, affordable water can be found
here.