Boulder St. Vrain Watershed Art Contest

Announcing the 2025 Boulder St. Vrain Watershed Art Contest!

The Keep it Clean Partnership invites students in the Boulder St. Vrain Watershed to participate in a free art contest with the chance to win cash prizes and other gifts! Sign up for the Keep it Clean Partnership newsletter to be notified about future art contests and other events in our watershed.

We are so excited to follow up last year’s contest – scroll down to check out the winners and just some of the 200+ entries we received in 2024.

*More details and submission form coming soon*

A pastel drawing of colorful waterfalls surrounded by greenery and fallen logs.

2024 3rd place winning artwork in the 9th-12th grade division, created by CJ.

2025 Contest Details

Who Can Enter: Any student in Kindergarten through 12th grade who lives in Boulder County or attends school in the Boulder Valley School District or St. Vrain Valley School District may enter.

Prizes: A panel of judges will select 3 winners for each grade division: Kindergarten-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grades.

Kindergarten-2nd | 3rd-5th

1st Place: $75 of art supplies and gift cards
2nd Place: $50 of art supplies and gift cards
3rd Place: $25 of art supplies and gift cards

6th-8th | 9th-12th

1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50

How to Participate

How to Participate

Artwork should be inspired by the following prompt: “I am grateful for water because…”
Students will submit their completed sentence for the prompt and one piece of 8.5” x 11” two-dimensional art using the media of their choice: crayons, markers, pencils, paint, pastels, fabric, watercolor, chalk, markers, collage, etc. Photographs and digital art will not be accepted for this contest.
Artwork must be created solely by the student and may not include any copyrighted characters or slogans.
By entering this contest, students acknowledge that their submission may be published by the Keep it Clean Partnership and its partner communities on websites, outreach materials, or other publications.
Submit artwork by November 9, 2025, 11:59 pm.

How to Submit

Artwork must be submitted by 11:59 pm on November 9, 2025. Submissions can be scanned and submitted using this form (coming soon), emailed to [email protected], or mailed to Keep it Clean Partnership, PO Box 471, Boulder, CO 80306. Mailed submissions must be postmarked by November 5, 2025.
All emailed and mailed artwork must include the following information: student’s completed sentence to the prompt “I am grateful for water because…”, student’s first and last name, grade level, town or city where they live, school name, school district, parent or guardian name and email.
For teachers or other groups who would like to submit several pieces of artwork at once please contact Cristina at [email protected].

"My favorite Colorado water memory is Sombrero Marsh because I liked how we used nets to catch creatures and learn if the water is healthy or not." - Linus, Kindergarten-2nd Grade, 1st Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is for my 8th birthday. I went to a big lake with lots of trout and other fish. It was super fun and we even had our grandparents with us." – Samuel, Kindergarten-2nd Grade, 2nd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is going to a lake near the mountains, swimming, catching crickets and looking for special clear rocks." – Mila, Boulder, Kindergarten-2nd Grade, 3rd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is last year (2023) when I was at Brainerd Lake. I stood on a tall, tall rock, and the wind was so strong I could have fallen off the rock. The sun also glinted off the water, making it shine." – Ella, 3rd-5th Grade, 1st Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is rafting on the wild rapids with my friends. It was my first time, we just moved to Colorado in August and I rafted in a ducky all by myself! I couldn't believe the beauty (we saw 3 bald eagles!) and how fun and serene it was." – Dylan, 3rd-5th Grade, 2nd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is poking and playing with puddles in the rain. Wearing all my rain clothes." – Cora, 3rd-5th Grade, 3rd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is going hiking with my family. I’ve always loved walking trails with my friends and parents, and seeing rivers and/or lakes rushing by was one of my favorite things. I’ve always found it poetic that one of Colorado’s biggest contributors to its water sourcing is the mountains; the very thing this state is famous for. I decided to portray that in my drawing through snowy mountains and a woman with hair made of water — ready to flow down into streams and rivers once the snow from the mountains has melted." – Abbie, 6th-8th Grade, 1st Place

"My favorite Colorado memory is the first big snowfall I experienced after moving here from California. Although this was more significant than just my first big snow, this snowfall was also right after the Marshall fire, which greatly affected my friends and community here in Superior. I remember looking out over the snow covered hills and trees and houses and reflecting on how nature had been so destructive, but was now so beautiful, and that the way the snow covered all the rubble was almost like renewing the earth after the fire. And this is why this is my favorite Colorado water memory moment." – Jane, 6th-8th Grade, 2nd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is going to the Denver Aquarium for the first time. Being a jellyfish/marine biology enthusiast, every aquarium visit is a special time in my life. This is my first visit where I actually touched a jellyfish, which was super cool." – Renee, 6th-8th Grade, 3rd Place

"My favorite memory of water in Colorado is when the snow melts and turns into ice water, and I watch it run down the slopes." – Mia, 9th-12th Grade, 1st Place

"I moved to Colorado in 2021. The first time I ever experience a real snowfall was when it snowed right after the Marshall fire. That experience and the relief that came with the falling snow is the most prominent Colorado water memory in my mind." – Livia, 9th-12th Grade, 2nd Place

"My favorite Colorado water memory is taking the hike up to hanging lake August of this year. The hike itself was brutal, but all the trees around it made you shaded, and the final destination--the lake--was a beautiful sight! The reference image I used was even a picture I took; 10/10 would go again." – CJ, 9th-12th Grade, 3rd Place

2024 Entries

With over 200 entries to review, the judges had a hard time picking their favorites. Here are some of the other amazing entries submitted to this year’s art contest.

My favorite Colorado water memory is when me and my class went to Walden Ponds. I enjoyed looking out at the beautiful pond. It was pretty and cool but most of all amazing. - Jaclyn

My favorite Colorado water memory is when I went to Glacier Creek, because it was beautiful. It was magical. It was full of wildlife. - Flynnie

My favorite Colorado water memory is one time I went to a reservoir that came from a really big river and I got to go kayaking. - Rigby

My favorite Colorado water memory is I have always been the type of person that has liked to stay indoors, but when me and my siblings explored new spots on my grandparents property, It absolutely dazzled me, and I have enjoyed spending time there ever since. - Lily

My favorite water memory in Colorado is the rivers because there are fish and it's fun when you have friends. I went camping at the lakes. - Soraya

My favorite Colorado water memory is when my family and me are going to Denver and it started to rain. When we are going in the road. - Isai

My favorite Colorado water memory is going to Boulder Creek. I remember skipping rocks, seeing all the big trees, and exploring along the river bank with my family. - Adella

My favorite Colorado water memory was one time that I was hiking with my brother, step-dad, and mom...My brother and I were sore, but it was worth it. The stop had a wonderful view of a lake and mountains, and I do remember skipping some stones into the lake. - Samantha

My favorite Colorado water memory is moose waters. - Milan

My favorite Colorado water memory is wading in the river in Steamboat with my friend and seeing a snake swimming! - Lydia

My favorite Colorado water memory is fishing in rivers that have rainbow trout and salmon in them, like this one! - Aleksander

My favorite Colorado water memory is catching water animals in water study at Sombrero Marsh. - Clover

My favorite Colorado water memory is when my cousins and I jumped off the rock cliff at the swimming hole together at Lavern Johnson Park. - Oliver

My favorite Colorado water memory is...I love to see what water looks like in video games and how it looks like the beautiful lakes and rivers of Colorado. This picture shows how well some of these games have captured the essence of Colorado's lakes and rivers. -Jesus