Water + Geology

Water Conservation Video Contest

10th Annual Napa County Water Conservation Video Contest

Contest Theme: What’s Your Water Story?

Water is life. We are made of water, many of our jobs and livelihoods depend upon it, it is essential to our biodiversity, it produces our food and connects us all. How have you experienced water in your life? How should people, businesses, cities, and communities CONSERVE water resources?

Tell your story about formative experiences with water in your lifetime. Maybe you’ve been to parks, open spaces, rivers, mountains, deserts, snow, farms, cities, or gardens. Maybe you’ve seen water disappear and want to protect it. In a hotter, drier, and more extreme climatic future – fresh water is our most essential resource. We survive on water, we play in water, we are water. How and why can people reduce and limit water usage and water waste?

Tell your story. Show us why water matters to you and how it should be conserved.

About the Contest

Water Conservation Programs of City of Calistoga, City of Napa, Town of Yountville, City of St. Helena, City of American Canyon, Napa County Resource Conservation District, and Napa Sanitation District are sponsoring a video contest for 9th - 12th grade students in Napa County.

Contest sponsors are looking for authentic, engaging, and thought-provoking videos that capture the theme: What’s Your Water Story? Students should strive to make videos that are genuine, inspiring, and impactful. Let your imagination go wild.

Carefully review the entry guidelines before completing your project.

Prizes

  • 1st Place: $1,500 cash prize
  • 2nd Place: $1,000 cash prize
  • 3rd Place: $500 cash prize

The winning video will be used as a public service announcement (PSA) on Napa Valley TV and will be shown before all films at the Century Napa Valley theater during the week of June 20-26.

Teacher Incentive
If you were supported by a teacher for your project, please let us know. Three teachers names will be drawn at random to win $200 cash each.

Resources for Inspiration:

Past submissions and winners:

Eligibility

Who can enter?

  • 9th – 12th grade students in Napa County
  • Entries can be submitted individually or as a team
  • One entry per person or team
  • All contestants must have parent/guardian consent to participate

Entry Guidelines

By entering, you grant Napa RCD and City of Napa non-exclusive ownership of the video, meaning they can use it on social media, websites, and other platforms. However, you retain the right to continue using your video as well.

Your video must:
✔ Address the theme: “What’s Your Water Story?”
✔ Share a personal experience

✔ Include messages, ideas, or methods about water use/waste reduction
✔ Be exactly 45 seconds (no more, no less)
✔ Be appropriate for all ages
✔ Be filmed or created using a smartphone, camera, or other recording device or video editing software
✔ Not use copyrighted images or music
✔ If using a language other than English, please include English subtitles or translation

✔ You may use AI tools if you wish; however, the most competitive videos will rely on the creator’s ability to tell a personal story which inspires others.

Videos must not infringe on anyone’s privacy or personal rights.

 

Submission Instructions

Deadline: 11 PM, Friday, May 23, 2025

Student submissions must include the follow two items:

  • Videos submitted to Dropbox in a .mov, .mp4, or .avi file.
  • SIGNED ENTRY FORM, screenshot or scanned copy, submitted to Dropbox with video.  *If multiple students are involved in the making of the film, each participant must submit separate entry forms including all group members' names and specifying which film title they are associated with. 
  • Make sure the video title is in the file name of both the video and entry form uploads.

  • If submitting as a team, each participant must submit a separate entry form listing all group members and the video title.

Video Contest Entry Form (PDF) 

Entry Deadline: 11 PM, Friday, May 23, 2025

Judging Criteria

A panel of experts from various water-related fields will judge videos based on the following:

Personal Storytelling & Life Experience – Does the video share a real and meaningful experience about water in the creator’s life? Is it personal, reflective, and authentic?

Curiosity & Discovery – Does the video explore a unique perspective, ask compelling questions, or show a moment of realization about water’s importance?

Inspiring Action – Does the story motivate viewers to think differently, take action, or connect more deeply with water conservation?

Accuracy – Does the video share truthful and relevant information?

Length – Is the video exactly 45 seconds?

Proper Submission – Was the entry form completed correctly?

Prizes

Winners will be notified via email by June 2, 2025. If submitted as a team, prize must be split equally among team members. Only students who worked on a winning video will be notified directly via email.

Student Prizes

1st Place - $1,500

2nd Place - $1,000

3rd Place - $500

Teacher Prizes

If you were supported by a teacher for your project, please let us know. Three teachers names will be drawn at random to win $200 cash each.

Contact

For more about the contest, contact Eric McKee: 707-690-3120 or Eric@NapaRCD.org

Previous Contest Winners

2024 Winning Videos:
1st - Save Water, Save Trees! - Ryan Cooper, American Canyon High School

2nd - In the Shade of Conservation - Jesalin Davis and Ana Lomeli, Napa High School

3rd - Tree Preservation: As Seen on TV - Sarah Satake and Bailey Caruso, American Canyon High School

2023 Winners - Note, this contest did not use the TikTok platform

1st place: Save Water Me-Now, Lydia Zhou (American Canyon High School)

2nd place: Water Conservation 101, Sophie Stone and Anika Ewig (Vintage High School)

3rd place: Water You Waiting For?, Giselle Mylen Hinahon (American Canyon High School)

2022 Winners - TikTok Video Contest

Theme: Conserve Water, Not Just for Us OR Be Water Wise

1st Place: Water Smarter, Kaliq Khan, Tanner Low, Jamie Pope (Vintage High School)

2nd Place: Things You Can Do to Conserve Water, Brandon Tennant (Vintage High School)

3rd Place: Conserving Water: Landscape Edition, Sofia Lopez, Susana Nuno (Vintage High School) 

2021 Winners - Note, this contest and all previous contests did not use the TikTok platform

Theme: Imagine Our Water-Wise Future

1st Place: No Water No Future, Ava Dominguez, Sophie Gonsier, Giulia Guerrera, Keira Prouty (Napa High School)

2nd Place: Ryleigh's Water-Wise Future, Kaeleigh Rogerson

3rd Place: Conserve our Water for a Brighter Future, Abygail Sims

2020 Winners

Theme: I Save Our Water Because...

1st Place: We All Live Down River, Giulia Guerrera (Napa High School) and Marie Dolcini (Mom!)

2nd Place: Conserve for the Future, Vintage High School Thirst Project

2019 Winners

Theme: Water in a Changing Climate

1st Place- Sarah Carelton & Emma Wallenbrock -Water in a Changing Climate (Napa High School)

2nd Place- Martin Arriaga- Small Steps to Conserve Water (Napa High School)

3rd Place- Itzi Padilla- You Can Save Water by Doing a Little Thing (American Canyon High School)

2018 Winners

Theme: Never Enough to Waste
1st Place - Kai Matthiasson & Ilenna Brown (Napa High School) Conservation Conversation

2nd Place - Fryl Chelzea Dela Cruz (American Canyon High School) Never Enough to Waste

3rd Place - Chanelle Mayrix Roces & Marvic Vivo (American Canyon High School) Wasted on the Way

2017 Winners

Theme: Reimagine your yard - Conserving water outdoors

1st Place - Sarah Lippmann, Andrew Raymond, Elena Ingram (Napa High School) View here
2nd Place - Eliana Matteo, Mary Manuta, Matthew Rico (American Canyon High School) View here
3rd Place - Madison Edmeyer, Mo Gottfried, Hannah Sigourney (Napa High School) View here 

2016 Winners

Every Drop Counts – Water Conservation as the new normal for California

1st Place    Joshua Padilla, Jackie Salinas, Yarra Bolla, Edna Santos (American Canyon HS) View here

2nd Place   Luis Buenaventura (American Canyon HS) View here

3rd Place    Julionna Robinson, Ernesto Garcia, Chezlaine Barrero, John Dizon (American Canyon HS) View here

 

Learn More about Water Conservation

Visit the WICC Water Conservation webpage to find out about conservation programs where you live.