NCC ‘Great Schools, Clean Streams’ contest to promote water quality, $15k in prizes

The New Castle County Government has announced the return of its “Great Schools, Clean Streams” contest, an environmental education competition that encourages local schools to raise awareness about improving water quality.

Now in its 10th year, the contest will begin on March 24 and run through April 11, offering schools a chance to win a share of a $15,000 prize pool.

This year, all public, charter, private, and parochial schools in New Castle County, from kindergarten to 12th grade, are invited to participate in the contest by engaging residents in water quality improvement efforts. The goal is to educate the community about reducing pollution and taking steps to protect local waterways.

County Executive Marcus Henry highlighted the importance of the initiative.

READ: Large nonprofit urges public to back bill creating Office of Suicide Prevention

“One of the best ways we can protect our environment and keep our wastewater infrastructure operating efficiently is to ensure county residents understand what should, and should not, go down their drains, as well as how to reduce runoff from their properties,” he said.

Henry emphasized the value of involving schools to reach young learners and their families, fostering a broader understanding of environmental responsibility.

Throughout the contest period, New Castle County residents ages 18 and older are encouraged to click here and take a pledge to adopt five simple actions that help reduce pollution.

The pledge includes commitments such as disposing of pet waste properly, using chemical-free fertilizers, keeping trash out of storm drains, choosing organic cleaning supplies, and properly disposing of cooking grease. Participants can then assign their pledge to a local school of their choice.

An online leaderboard will track the number of pledges each school garners, adding a competitive element to the contest.

Schools with the most pledges in three categories, based on enrollment size, will win cash prizes of $1,500, $1,000, and $750, which can be used for classroom materials or school projects.

Additionally, any school that receives 50 or more pledges will be entered into a wild card drawing for one of 21 $250 prizes.

Local educators are enthusiastic about the opportunity.

Katie Miro, a first-grade teacher at Newark Charter School, explained how the contest has helped engage her students in understanding the impact of their actions on the local environment.

“At Newark Charter Meece Campus, we have beautiful outdoor learning spaces and a variety of ecosystems that rely on our local streams, so our students and families get an up-close understanding of the importance of keeping our streams clean,” she said.

Past winners have also spoken about how the contest has directly benefitted their schools. Jenine Thomas, principal of Olive B. Loss Elementary School in the Appoquinimink School District, shared that the contest winnings helped support the school’s annual student Activity Day.

“It’s easy to rally support for the contest when we associate the prize money with so much fun,” Thomas said.

With over 30 schools poised to win prizes, the Great Schools, Clean Streams contest promises to be an engaging and impactful event for both students and residents, fostering environmental awareness and a sense of community responsibility across New Castle County.

For more information and to participate, click here.