Olympia recognizes students who help promote stormwater pollution prevention through their art 

The Olympia City Council, on Tuesday, recognized three talented middle school students whose artworks were chosen to be featured on a new city street sweeper. 

The artworks—created by Dunia Eberling of Marshall Middle School, Izzy Thomson-Banning of Washington Middle School, and William Weide of Marshall Middle School—highlighted street sweeping as an important tool for preventing stormwater pollution.  

According to Sue Barcliff, Olympia Public Works Storm and Surface Water senior program specialist, they solicited artwork entries from public, private, and home-schooled middle schoolers in Olympia for the contest.  

JOLT Staff photo via Zoom

JOLT Staff photo via Zoom

JOLT Staff photo via Zoom

The art competition, organized by the city's Public Works Resources department, focused on messages about clean water related to street sweeping.  

"The artworks convey the message that sweeping streets keep pollution out of our local waterways," Barcliff said. The selected artworks created by these students were chosen for a decal that covers one side of the sweeper. 

She appreciated the students' help to spread and promote the department's clean water message.  

"I appreciated the opportunity to take a look at all your work…we had the opportunity to come out to visit you before the meeting, to hear a little bit about your work and take a photo with you and meet your families," Olympia Mayor Payne said. He hoped to see more of these students' artworks around the city in the future.