East Rockaway High School senior Jethro Jacques was recognized as the winner of the Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection’s annual Drinking Water Week Essay Contest during a presentation at the school.
The contest invited Long Island students in grades 9 through 12 to write about this year’s theme, “Water Conservation in Action,” by proposing a practical way to conserve water at home, school or in their community.
Jacques’ winning essay focused on collecting rainwater by placing barrels beneath gutters to capture runoff after storms, offering a simple way to conserve water that might otherwise go to waste.
“Long Island’s future depends on the protection of our groundwater resources, and it is encouraging to see students engaging with these important issues,” LICAP Chair Ty Fuller said. “Jethro’s essay demonstrated both creativity and a strong understanding of how individual actions can make a meaningful difference in conserving water and protecting our environment.”
The Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection, established in 2013, works to protect Long Island’s aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for Nassau and Suffolk counties.
