2025-05-01 RADIO CONTEST WINNER CHAMPIONS DRINKING WATER PROTECTION

Around 200 local students turned up the volume with creative radio ads, calling for the protection of our drinking water—all part of this year's Drinking Water Protection Radio Contest.

Grade 4 to 8 students from Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District Schools and Hasting Prince Edward District Schools submitted close to 50 self-produced radio ads in the hopes of winning a pizza lunch, prize pack, and field trip to the Gerry O'Connor Water Treatment Plant in Belleville for their class. For the winning ad, the big prize is taking their message to the next level: recording their ad in a professional studio.  

“This is the third year we are running this contest, and each time I am blown away by the level of creativity and knowledge our watershed students have. It is truly inspiring to see our youth become interested in protecting sources of drinking water,” says Natasha Mathieu, Source Water Protection Outreach Lead, Quinte Conservation.

For teacher Ms. Garland, this year’s win marks a proud repeat performance. Her Grade 6/7 class at Georges Vanier Catholic School in Belleville has taken top honors, just as her class at St. Mary Catholic School in Trenton did last year. The winning duo, students Amy and Gabby, were invited to Loyalist College’s 91X radio station to have their ad professionally recorded for airplay until the end of summer. The professional recording and editing are donated by the team at 91X radio, who are one of the integral community partners contributing to the success of this project.

“This year’s winners stood out from the crowd. In a fun and enthusiastic way, they highlighted the steps the average person can take to protect drinking water.” says Mathieu.

For Amy, Gabby and their classmates, they received complementary bussing to and from the Water Treatment Plant, courtesy of Switzer-Carty Transportation. During their visit, they toured the facility while learning the treatment process for drinking water: chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. The field trip concluded with a pizza lunch donated by Westside Pizza, and prizes from the City of Belleville’s Environmental Services Green Task Force who donated a Food Cycler Eco 3 unit for the school, and Let's Talk Science at Loyalist College who donated a Water Rangers Education Test Kit.

To hear Amy and Gabby’s winning ad, please visit quintesourcewater.ca/swp-radio-contest or Quinte Conservation’s YouTube channel.

About Quinte Conservation
Quinte Conservation is a community-based environmental protection agency that serves 18 municipalities in the watersheds of the Moira, Napanee and Salmon Rivers, and Prince Edward County. Our programs, services and working alongside residents create a sustainable ecosystem where people and nature live in harmony. More information about Quinte Conservation is available at www.quinteconservation.ca.

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For immediate inquiries, contact:
Taylor Baranowski
Marketing & Administrative Coordinator
613-968-3434 ext. 115
tbaranowski@quinteconservation.ca