Winning Student Posters Spotlight the Value of Water

Five talented student artists have been named the winners of the Otay Water District’s 2025 “Being Water Wise is…” Student Poster Contest for best representing the value of water through creativity and art.

Zhaoyu Zhai showcases his character series on a private Instagram page, managed with parental supervision.

Every year, K-12 grade students attending schools in the District’s service area are encouraged to design posters illustrating the theme of being water-wise. Although there were no middle school submissions this year, winners were selected in the kindergarten-third grade, fourth-sixth grade, and high school categories.

“We are grateful for all who participate in our program and help share the many ways to use water wisely, whether at home or outdoors,” said Eileen Salmeron, Otay’s communications assistant and contest coordinator. “We hope our young generation will continue to inspire others to join in the effort in protecting this vital resource.”

This year’s high school winner, Zhaoyu Zhai, impressed the judges with his drawing of an alien figure taking a short shower, alongside the message “Short Showers Save Water.” The alien named Adrian is part of an ongoing character series that Zhaoyu has been developing over the past two years and has applied to other creative projects.

“As a parent, we’ve seen how passionate Zhaoyu is about these characters,” said Zhaoyu’s mom Huiyu Li. “His work includes both hand-drawn illustrations and digital pieces that combine drawing with animation and editing. His inspiration often comes from everyday life and his creative imagination.”

The five winners will be honored during the District’s Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6. Scroll down to view their posters.

• Ethan Quintero-Ramos, Second Grade, Olympic View Elementary — First Place, Kindergarten-Third Grade Category
• Jacob Irons, First Grade, Discovery Charter Elementary — Second Place, Kindergarten-Third Grade Category
• Mila Vega, Fifth Grade, Valle Lindo Elementary — First Place, Fourth-Sixth Grade Category
• Sophie Coghill, Fifth Grade, Burton C. Tiffany Elementary — Second Place, Fourth-Sixth Grade Category
• Zhaoyu Zhai, Ninth Grade, Otay Ranch High School — First Place, High School Category

Each student will receive a gift card, certificate, art kit, and a goody bag.

The winning posters will advance to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s regional contest. Selected entries will be featured in MWD’s 2026 Art Calendar, with the winners to be announced later this year.

For more information about the contest, visit otaywater.gov/education-programs.