Unique Student Art Showcased in World Water Day Celebration!

Teachers at J.J. Flynn Elementary School in Burlington, VT got creative in their World Water Day class project by partnering with Generator Makerspace, a non-profit in Burlington that bridges the intersection of art, science, and technology. With the technical support of Generator Makerspace, students learned to transform their drawings into laser-cut wood mosaics backed by colorful rice paper.

This art project wasn’t just about the lasers, however – throughout the process students reflected on what they had learned about the Lake Champlain watershed in a previous science unit. Said elementary student Brennan Crete, “I drew some turtles. The lake is important, and turtles live in the lake, so you have to be careful of what you do around the lake.”

The World Water Day Contest is held annually by the Lake Champlain Committee and watershed partners, to celebrate the importance of water around the world. It is part of an international movement begun by the UN in 1993, which has been going strong for over 25 years. World Water Day is celebrated with rallies, art exhibitions, scientific presentations, and community gatherings. Each year explores a different theme relating to water quality; this year’s theme is “Leaving no one behind” by supporting human rights and refugees.

On March 21 a World Water Day celebration will be held at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, in Burlington, VT, from 4:00 - 6:30 PM. Guest speaker Dr. Danielle Garneau will present on “Plastics in Lake Champlain: How you can help”. The celebration is free and open to the public, and will feature K-12 contest entries, with an awards ceremony for winning submissions. Click here to learn more!