Press Releases

Chattanooga, TN (September 17, 2025) – Tennessee American Water announced today its inaugural Protect Our Watersheds art contest for fourth grade students at Whitwell Elementary School. 

“Source water protection is vital to keeping our watersheds safe and healthy, which is an important part of maintaining and providing high-quality water,” said Grant Evitts, President of Tennessee American Water. “Educating students about what source water protection means and how they can help make a difference is a focus of our community engagement efforts.”

In coordination with Whitwell Elementary School’s art teacher Kimerlen Spake Moore and Tennessee American Water’s Source Water Protection Manager Thalika Hollingsworth, the contest is open to fourth-grade students at the school.  Students apply the principles of design to create an art composition which expresses what they have learned about watershed protection. The art helps to reinforce the Tennessee Department of Education fourth-grade science standards, which develop students’ understanding of how human activity impacts the Earth.

“Our commitment to engaging students in activities like the art contest leads to a healthier environment and access to clean drinking water in our communities for this generation and generations to come,” said Evitts.  

Winners will be selected based on creative vision, artistic talent, understanding of watershed protection and the ability to illustrate and communicate that understanding. As part of their entry, students must write a brief narrative on the personal impact of watershed protection.

The selected winner’s classroom will receive themed gifts and a pizza party, and their teacher will receive educational materials from their classroom supplies wish list with a value of $100.

The deadline for artwork submissions is Monday, September 29, during Source Water Protection Week.