Press Releases

Contact: Public Relations Department
Suffolk County Water Authority
PO Box 37
Oakdale NY 11769
(631) 563-0296

June 05, 2000
SCWA Announces Winning Slogans

Chairman Michael LoGrande today announced the selection of "WE HAVE A THIRST FOR PURE WATER" as the overall winner of the Suffolk County Water Authority's Ninth Annual Water Week Slogan Contest.

"We had many fine submissions, and choosing was hard, but that slogan, submitted by Timothy Young of Ronkonkoma, sums up our philosophy perfectly," LoGrande said. "We were delighted to award top honors to this seventh grader from Faith Academy in Farmingville, and we are proud to adopt his slogan as our own for the coming year."

The Water Authority also selected six grade level winners and participated, for the first time, in a joint Awards Ceremony at which the students were honored along with winners of two additional Water Week Contests. As proud parents, siblings and other relatives watched, all seven winners received award certificates, savings bonds and other prizes.

Educators were also invited to the ceremony, and one of the most enthusiastic participants, Heather Wallace, who teaches at South Middle School in Brentwood, was celebrating two victories in a row. Last year, one of her students, Aamna Hussain, won the Eighth Annual Water Week Slogan Contest with "DRINK WATER -- IT'S NATURAL." This year, another of her students, Valerie Zamor, was chosen as the eighth grade winner for "AGUA, AGUA, IT'S SO FINE, SUFFOLK'S WATER REFRESHES YOUR MIND."

Educators at St. Patrick School in Smithtown also had reason to be especially proud. When the envelopes were opened after the winning slogans had been selected, it turned out that both the fourth grade winner, Elizabeth Reilly, and the sixth grade winner, Ashley Lantier, attend St. Patrick School. Elizabeth's winning slogan was, "SUFFOLK COUNTY WATER: FRESH, CLEAN AND PURE RIGHT FROM THE TAP," while her schoolmate won with, "GOT GOOD WATER? SUFFOLK DOES."

Rounding out the group of victorious students in the Year 2000 Water Week Slogan Contest, a Groundwater Guardian activity, were Rachel Haynes, Ashley Hantzidiamantis and Gabrielle Manthos. Rachel, a third grader at Burr Intermediate School in Commack, won with "CLEAN AND CLEAR; GIVE A BIG CHEER!"

Ashley Hantzidiamantis, a fifth grader at Clinton Avenue in Port Jefferson Station, came out on top with "SUFFOLK'S WATER IS REALLY AWESOME; IT'S SO GOOD, YOU'LL ALWAYS WANT SOME." Finally, Gabrielle, the seventh grade winner, was honored for submitting "TASTE THE BEAUTY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY -- DRINK OUR WATER." Gabrielle attends Bay Shore Middle School.

According to SCWA Deputy CEO for Administration Michael Stevenson, who distributed the prizes at the May 11 ceremony, approximately 700 students from 24 schools throughout the county participated in this year's Slogan Contest.

From left are Timothy Young, Rachel Haynes, Gabrielle Manthos, SCWA Deputy CEO for Administration Michael Stevenson, Ashley Lantier, Elizabeth Reilly, SCWA Public Relations Assistant June Bolton and Ashley Hantzidiamantis. The six students, as well as Valerie Zamor, not pictured, were recently honored as the winners of the Water Authority's Ninth Annual Water Week Slogan Contest, an official Groundwater Guardian activity. (SCWA Photo by Nino Ruisi)

The Suffolk County Water Authority is a public benefit corporation operating by virtue of the Public Authorities law of the State of New York. Serving about 80% of Suffolk's residents, it operates without taxing power on a non-profit basis.