Angelica, NY –What would a day without water look like to
you? Concerned Citizens of Allegany County (CCAC) recently posed this question
to students in the form of a county-wide writing contest to promote water
conservation in observance of World Water Day (March 22). In response, more than 50 essays were
submitted from public, parochial, and homeschool students across the county.
These creative essays ranged from fact-based, to post-apocalyptic, and
everywhere in-between.
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| Jack Bynes |
Jack Byrnes, a student in Sandra Regas’ eighth grade class
at Immaculate Conception School, and Felicity Morrison, a student in McKayla
Beck’s seventh grade class at Wellsville CSD, were the two prize winners in
this contest. Byrnes' essay starts in a Sci-Fi atmosphere, with astronauts
finding a futuristic Earth that is left devoid of potable water sources. He
then discusses what local municipalities could do to protect our region's water
sources in the near future. Jack writes, "To improve upon what we currently
have, we could replace our current town water cleaning systems with Ultra
Violet filters; this is an improvement, as it puts no chemicals, like chlorine,
into the water. It also can kill any waterborne pathogens, like other methods,
without the harmful chemicals". The
judges were most impressed by the tangible, pragmatic suggestions Jack had in
combination with his inventive vision in the first half of his succinct essay.
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| Felicity Morrison |
Felicity Morrison's first paragraph speaks for itself: “This
just in, sources have confirmed that the world's water supply is completely
gone. Chaos is raging through the streets. Wildfires have started with nothing
to put them out. People can survive a day without water, but who knows how long
this will last. Could this be a potential blessing to show that we shouldn’t
take water for granted? Or could this be a catastrophe for all living things?
Stay tuned to find out". Morrison took a creative-writing approach to her
essay, in a tactic that allures readers to her message.
 |
| Theodore Romanchock |
Honorable Mention was
awarded to Theodore Romanchock, age 10. The judges were blown away with
Theodore, when his essay began with the bold statement: "A day without water would be no day at
all". Romanchock went on to discuss how water is integral in all living
organisms.
The two prize winners were awarded $50 each and honorable
mention was awarded $20 for their essay submissions. Many students understood
the challenges that a day without water would have on their lives, their
community, and impact the world as a whole. "This contest showcases
Allegany County students and educators working together to combine imaginative
writing and scientific research skills,” says Karen Ash, CCAC Chair. “Everyone
who took part in this writing contest deserves our applause for their diligence
and commitment to water protection initiatives."
The students were asked to record their winning essays for
broadcast on Angelica Community Radio. Residents can log on to the station's
internet stream at www.wraq.org on Friday afternoon, March 22nd, or by
downloading the Angelica Community Radio app on their device.
CCAC is a 501c3 environmental advocacy group that meets
monthly in Angelica. We welcome the public to join us at our next meeting on
Sunday, March 24th. Learn more at
ccallegany.org or follow us on Facebook.
Email contactusccac@gmail.com or
call/text 585-466-4474.
