
CBEI Programs
World Water Day
Since 1993, World Water Day has raised awareness about the importance of water and the challenges facing freshwater ecosystems around the globe. Here in the Lake Champlain Basin, the annual celebration began over a decade ago as a student-driven initiative—and has since grown into a lively, hands-on event for the whole community.

Celebrate World Water Day at the Mall!
Join us, this year, at the Champlain Centre Mall in Plattsburgh, New York, for a celebration of clean water in the Lake Champlain Basin. Visit with more than 30 organizations that are working to protect water quality and ecosystems. Activities include exploration of the lake on a gynmasium-sized floor map, fly tying demonstrations, and illustrations of river protection with a hands-on, table-sized landscape model.
The event includes a Celebrate Water Contest, with awards presented for several categories of student work. Entries can include writing, essays, art, poetry, video, music, history, science or technology. Students have entered videos about cyanobacteria monitoring, acrostic poems, laser cut wood panel mosaics, and a water story quilt. Other popular entries include photos, journal entries, and sculptures. Check out the LCBP Art and Clean Water page for some inspiration!
Here’s What You Need to Know!
- Entries must be received no later than 4:00 PM on Wednesday, March 9, 2026
- Drop-off times and locations for work to be announced in February!
- Open to all students in grades K-12 within the Lake Champlain watershed.
- No purchase required to enter or to receive recognition.
- Your class or group may submit a maximum of 3 entries.
- All entries must include a brief artist statement or author’s note.
- Please contact us if you are unsure if your entry fits into a category or presentation format.
Contest Registration
Registration is now open! Please click here for the registration form.

This is a great opportunity to learn how we can all be better stewards of our water resources. Whether it’s boating, swimming, or simply appreciating the view, we all benefit from clean, healthy water—and it takes all of us to keep it that way.”
Sue Hagar, Education and Outreach Steward with the Lake Champlain Basin Program and NEIWPCC
This is a great opportunity to learn how we can all be better stewards of our water resources. Whether it’s boating, swimming, or simply appreciating the view, we all benefit from clean, healthy water—and it takes all of us to keep it that way.”
Sue Hagar, Education and Outreach Steward with the Lake Champlain Basin Program and NEIWPCC

