Medford, White City students produce art for water calendar

Jan. 9—As Rogue Valley residents flip through their calendars in 2023, Medford and White City elementary school students hope they remember to do at least one thing: conserve water.

Through a competition held by Medford Water, fourth-grade students from schools the agency serves submitted works of art illustrating, "What does water conservation mean to me?" and "Why is it important to conserve water?"

Out of 140 submitted works, the top 13 were chosen to be in the calendar, which included cover art. There were three honorable mentions, shown on the back.

"We had no idea what we were in for. The students really brought their creativity and originality to a whole other level," said Aaron Adachi, water efficiency technician for Medford Water, who judged submissions.

The agency withheld students' full names from the calendar for privacy reasons, but the Medford School District provided the top three winners' names to the Mail Tribune.

Gina Palmesano, a fourth-grade teacher at the most winning school, Griffin Creek Elementary School, taught Ellie Pribyl, who created the first-place submission, "Be You." It features a blond-haired girl sitting with thought bubbles all around her on ways she could save water. The Water Commission declined to supply the last names of the art contest winners.

"(Ellie) is very thoughtful, and she is very artistic, and it wasn't her first draft," said Palmesano.

"I think she got the message across in her own creative way. I was really excited for her (to have the winning entry)," Palmesano said.

Adachi explained that for years, Medford Water had done presentations to elementary school students on water conservation. A calendar contest, something other cities have done, was a way for the students to take what they learned and apply it in a creative way.

The participating schools come from both Medford and White City to adequately cover Medford Water service area. The schools that submitted artworks were Jefferson, Griffin Creek, Lincoln, Hoover, Lone Pine, Jackson and Table Rock.

Other Griffin Creek fourth-grade teachers, including Jenna Dode and Dchenin Villasenor, held brainstorming sessions with their students before asking them to produce art throughout the month of October.

"We first talked about how much water would it waste to flush the toilet or brush your teeth — fourth-grade examples," Villasenor said. "Then, they came up with ways to conserve. That was the guide for their art."

Dode said since Medford Water chose to teach students about water conservation through an art contest, "it all felt like they could do it. They could easily put a few words together ... and then elaborate through art."

She added her students were "very eager to participate and know who won."

Adachi thanked the winning students, who received various prizes. Pribyl, the first-place winner, received a pizza party for her class sponsored by Jackson Creek Pizza and an electric scooter; Addysen Massey, the second-place winner, received a drone; and Adikus Mobley, the third-place winner, received a mini fridge sponsored by Medford Water.

A news release by Medford Water shared the top three winners and those students' inspiration behind their artworks.

Pribyl's work "illustrates the idea that we all need to think about water conservation and how it effects our lives personally," the news release said.

"Chameleon," the second-place winner — from Massey, who is one of Palmesano's students — shows Earth in the shape of the lizard known for blending into its surroundings. In terms of conserving water, the chameleon is an apt comparison because it is "a reminder that we cannot change our surroundings, but we can adapt and be what the world needs us to be today," according to the release.

"Sacred Water," from Mobley, was a nod to the artist's Native American heritage.

"Native Americans practiced preservation and sharing our natural resources from long ago, using traditions to pass these concepts down through the generations, who still practice them today," the release said.

Villasenor said her students exceeded her expectations "even if they weren't that pumped about art."

Adachi was proud of the students' submissions, saying he couldn't think of anything better to convey the importance of water conservation.

"What these students produced cannot be replicated anywhere else," Adachi said. "It just goes to show that change can happen. It shows that conservation is something they are mindful of. Hopefully, building these habits this early on in their lives will help them wherever they go."

For the people — likely adults — who will be using the calendars, Adachi hopes it imparts a message upon them, as well.

"They can (conserve water), too," he said. "Hopefully, it will spark something in them, at least a reminder, of the potential savings."

Anyone interested in picking up a free 2023 water conservation calendar can go to the Medford Water Commission office at 200 S. Ivy St., Room 177, in Medford.

Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or kopsahl@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.