A paintbrush that contaminates drinking water. A vine-covered creature that attacks water supplies. A sea monster that poisons lakes and oceans.
Those were just some of the villains imagined by elementary school students as part of a districtwide contest challenging children to create the next enemy for “Dewey, the Clean Water Superhero.”
More than 600 students in Uniondale elementary schools participated in the contest, sponsored by water filtration company Multipure and h2ocleanse. Students were asked to design a character that threatens clean water and write a short explanation of why Dewey must defeat it.
The contest culminated this month when representatives from Multipure and the Dewey mascot visited California Avenue, Grand Avenue and Walnut Street schools to surprise winners and present prize checks to students, classrooms and schools.
The top prize went to Inaaya, a fourth-grader at California Avenue School, whose villain, “Brushly,” pollutes water by encouraging people to rinse dirty paintbrushes in sinks and waterways. Her creation will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Dewey comic book series.
During an interview with Dewey, Inaaya said the character was inspired by a paintbrush-themed character from the online game Roblox’s “Dandy’s World.”
Asked why protecting water is important, she offered a simple answer.
“We have to stay hydrated and be healthy,” Inaaya said.
Second place went to Ariella, a third-grader at California Avenue School, for creating “Gourdy,” a plant-like creature that traps victims with vines and detonates bombs in water. Bryanna, a fifth-grader at Grand Avenue School, earned third place for creating “Savanna the Sea Destroyer,” a villain that poisons bodies of water.
California Avenue School dominated the competition, submitting roughly 400 entries and earning first place among participating schools. The school received a $1,700 award, while Grand Avenue School received $1,500 for second place and Walnut Street School received $1,200 for third.
California Avenue teacher Akiko Hanratty’s classroom submitted the most entries and earned a $300 prize and a hydration-themed celebration hosted by Multipure.
Principal Brian Bruno credited Hanratty with helping generate excitement around the contest and encouraging students to participate.
“We have a great art teacher,” Bruno said during an interview with Dewey, the Clean Water Superhero mascot. “She works really well with all of our students in the building, and there are five elementary schools in the district, and us being the first-place winner shows a lot of what Mrs. Hanratty does with our students.”
Bruno said the project taught students valuable lessons about health and wellness while encouraging them to think critically about environmental issues.
“Water is really something that keeps our students hydrated,” he said. “It’s part of our cellular function in our body. It helps us learn. It helps keep us safe. It helps keep us moving throughout the day for our muscles.
Heather Kollar, managing partner of h2ocleanse, said the organization has worked with the Uniondale School District on drinking water issues since 2017. She added the contest was designed to help students better understand both the importance of clean water and the role they can play in protecting it.
“Multipure constantly monitors drinking water issues throughout the U.S. to reach communities that are negatively impacted and in need of assistance,” said Zachary Rice, president of Multipure.
Long Island’s sole-source aquifer supplies drinking water to nearly 3 million residents, but decades of industrial activity, chemical use and aging infrastructure have left many communities grappling with water quality concerns. Contaminants including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.
Pollutants have been detected in groundwater across Nassau and Suffolk Counties prompting water providers to invest millions of dollars in treatment systems.
Environmental advocates and public health experts warn that continued contamination threatens the long-term health of the aquifer and underscores the need for stronger protections to safeguard Long Island’s drinking water supply for future generations.
The winning villain created by Inaaya will appear in the next installment of the Dewey comic book series, which is distributed free online and at community events to promote water conservation and environmental awareness.
