Shortly after the high-profile water crisis in Flint, Michigan, we embarked on an annual art show that featured the majesty of water in all its many forms. From studying global water rights to our very own sinks and fountains, students tackled real-world issues through their art.

Middle schoolers used the crisis in Flint as a springboard to create an array of independent projects, from color studies of different water samples, to upcycling disposable plastic water bottles into a sculpture of a drinking fountain. Primary students campaigned around school to support water conservation efforts, and designed art-ivism posters reminding our community to turn off faucets and be mindful of water usage.

One of the most interesting projects was in second grade, where students learned about the difficulty that people around the world have in getting clean drinking water. To bring this to life, they researched the amount of time that women and children in different cultures spend traveling to local wells, and created a “water path” around school to measure the average daily steps. They then collected large plastic oil tubs from nearby restaurants (similar to a common water-carrying container) and turned them into collages that represented their learnings about water.