SCHOHARIE - A Schoharie Junior High School student was named one of 14 winners in the Department of Environmental Conservation’s “Water Connects Us All” poster contest. Elias Holt, a sixth grader, was selected out of over 700 reported submissions from across the state.

According to the DEC, the annual poster contest encourages middle school students to learn about their role in protecting and conserving water resources. The 14 winning posters will be featured in DEC and the New York Water Environment Association’s (NYWEA) 2027 calendar.

“NYWEA is proud to take part in this poster contest with the DEC every year, and even more proud of all of the watershed champions we now have because of the involvement of the students and teachers who participated this year,” said NYWEA Executive Director Khris Dodson.

The contest received poster submissions from 23 schools across the state, DEC said. This year’s top winner was Adelaide Janiak from Nassau County. You can view all the winning works on the DEC website.

“I join everyone at DEC in congratulating Adelaide and all the student poster contest participants for their creative submissions educating New Yorkers about the importance of clean water,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said.