12 more received honorable mentions for their outstanding artwork illustrating the theme, “Why is Clean Air Important to You?” Photo courtesy of Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Clean Air Calendar Art Contest. Twelve students earned top honors, and 12 more received honorable mentions for their outstanding artwork illustrating the theme, “Why is Clean Air Important to You?”

“We loved seeing all the wonderful entries this year, it was incredibly difficult to choose the winners,” said Gretchen Bennitt, Executive Director of the District. “We added honorable mentions to showcase even more of the amazing talent and creativity we saw. It’s going to be a fantastic calendar.”

This year’s contest received more than 100 submissions from students in kindergarten through seventh grade, representing 19 local schools across Yolo and northeastern Solano counties. The contest invited students who live in or attend school within the district to participate in this annual educational campaign, which promotes awareness about air quality.

District staff reviewed submissions in two grade categories, K through third and fourth through seventh, and selected winning entries to be featured in the 2026 Clean Air Calendar, which will be released this fall. Each winning student will receive a Certificate of Achievement, a gift card, and have their artwork prominently displayed alongside a designated month in the calendar. Students awarded honorable mentions will also receive Certificates of Achievement, and their artwork will be included in a special section of the calendar highlighting outstanding entries.

2025 Contest Winners are as follows.

In first place are Amara Gandhi, a third grader from Patwin Elementary in Davis; Lucia Martinez, a third grader from Shirley Rominger Intermediate in Winters; Zack Hernandez, a fourth grader from Dixon Montessori Charter School in Dixon; and Elizabeth Chen, a seventh grader from Frances Harper Junior High in Davis.

Second place honors go to Elena Rodriguez, a second grader from Orchard Elementary in Vacaville; Colette Tremblay, a third grader from Cesar Chavez Elementary in Davis; Yovanni Vargas, a fifth grader from Shirley Rominger Intermediate in Winters; and Vom Im, a sixth grader from Robert E. Willett Elementary in Davis.

Third place winners include Cameron Lucero, a second grader from Fred T. Korematsu Elementary in Davis; Elise Hu, a third grader from Birch Lane Elementary in Davis; Emery Corwin, a fifth grader from Fred T. Korematsu Elementary in Davis; and Lilah Castleman, a sixth grader from Robert E. Willett Elementary in Davis.

Honorable Mentions were awarded to Isaiah Hu, a kindergartener from Birch Lane Elementary in Davis; Abraham Castleman, a first grader from Robert E. Willett Elementary School in Davis; Skylar Kiser, a first grader from Waggoner Elementary in Winters; Alex Seiler, a second grader from Davis School for Independent Study in Davis; Alexa Alanis and Sergio Julian Jimenez Arellano, both third graders from Shirley Rominger Intermediate in Winters; Nola McGinn, a fourth grader from Patwin Elementary in Davis; Addie Lou McLaughlin, a fifth grader from Davis Waldorf School in Davis; Audrey Hu, a fifth grader from Birch Lane Elementary in Davis; Clarissa Uribe and Nayeli Aguilar, both fifth graders from Shirley Rominger Intermediate in Winters; and Sophia Bolivar, a sixth grader from Spring Lake Elementary in Woodland.

This contest is one of many ways the Air District engages local communities through education and outreach, helping to raise awareness of air quality and its impact on health and the environment.

The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District’s mission is to protect human health and property from the harmful effects of air pollution. As a public health agency, the district is responsible for safeguarding air quality and overseeing air pollution control in Yolo and northeastern Solano counties, including the cities of Dixon, Rio Vista, and Vacaville.

For more information, visit ysaqmd.org.