Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Sustain Fairfax Earth Month Youth Art Contest, celebrating student creativity and real-world climate action.
This year’s awardees are:
- Shivani, Grade 5 – Winner, Grade 4-6 Category
- Angelina, Grade 11 – Winner, Grade 9-12 Category
- Arya, Grade 5 – Honorable Mention
- Arianna, Grade 5 – Honorable Mention
Each student created original artwork reflecting the theme “My Actions, Our Climate,” highlighting climate-friendly steps they are taking—such as using clean energy, choosing sustainable transportation, reducing waste, or planting trees—and the positive impacts those actions have on our environment and community. The contest encouraged students to connect their art to the Sustain Fairfax Challenge, an online platform where residents track and share their climate actions.
2026 Winners
Shivani, Grade 5
“My artwork is called “My Action, Our Climate.” It shows simple ways we can help protect the Earth and make Fairfax County cleaner and greener. Small actions like saving water, planting trees, recycling, saving energy, walking or biking, and helping clean our community can make a big difference. If everyone does a little, together we can create a healthier and better future for our planet.
- Planting Trees. Plant more trees! Trees give us oxygen and help clean the air. Without trees, there would be too much carbon dioxide and not enough fresh air to breathe. Trees also make our community greener and healthier.
- Recycle. Recycling paper, plastic, and aluminum helps protect the environment. If we do not recycle, trash stays in landfills for a long time and can harm nature. Recycling also helps keep our Earth clean.
- Save Water. Even though 71% of the Earth is covered with water, only a small amount is clean water that people can use. Most of the rest is salty ocean water. Leaving the faucet on while washing hands or brushing teeth wastes water, so we should always turn it off.
- Save Energy. Turn off fans, lights, and TV when they are not being used. This saves electricity and helps reduce global warming. Small actions at home can make a big difference.
- Walk or Bike. One way I help the Earth is by walking or biking for short distances instead of always using a car. Cars that use gas and diesel make pollution that can harm the Earth and also make the air unhealthy for us to breathe.
- Community Cleanup. Joining community cleanup activities helps keep parks and neighborhoods clean. Picking up trash and keeping public places clean helps protect nature and makes our community a better place to live.”
Angelina, Grade 11
My submission for this contest shows two different sides by showing one that is a polluted environment and the other one is a cleaner, healthier one. The left side of the presentation shows a pollution and waste, while the right side shows how recycling and small sustainable actions can help the Earth while being healthy. For the Sustain Fairfax Challenge, I mainly have focused on just reducing waste any kind and even recycling. These kind of actions really help lower the pollution, while saving the energy and resources all over, while also create a cleaner kind of community and environment."
Honorable Mention
Arya, Grade 5
“My action is that instead of always using cars, we can use scooters, bikes, or even walk whenever possible. Instead of gas-powered cars, we should use hybrid cars. We should also use solar and wind energy to power homes and electricity because they are better for our climate. In my drawing, I also showed what a healthy climate looks like: higher oxygen levels, lower carbon dioxide levels, and a clean, fresh, and beautiful environment. This is what I think we can do to make our climate better.”
Arianna, Grade 5
“My artwork shows both the problems caused by climate change and the actions we can take to protect our environment, including the ocean. I created the artwork in the shape of a water droplet to represent ideas and solutions for reducing ocean pollution. The bottom of the artwork shows how pollution, ocean waste, and smoke can harm marine life. The top shows how sustainable actions such as recycling, using renewable energy, and planting trees can prevent environmental damage. The earth's eyes symbolize that our planet depends on people making responsible choices. By choosing these options, we can help our community by lowering energy bills, causing less air pollution, help marine animals by reducing ocean pollution, reducing climate change, and more. The actions I completed from the Sustain Fairfax Challenge include choosing clean energy through wind power, supporting solar energy, planting and conserving natural resources, and improving ocean cleanliness. Through my artwork, I wanted to show that even small actions can have a positive impact on our community and environment.”
Featured Entries
Hannah – Grade 4
“The actions in my drawing show, me planting a tree next to a tree where birds live and thrive. It shows how the trees take all the rain into their roots and still live in strong winds. Trees can help prevent climate change, when they absorb the carbon dioxide and store it in its wood. This helps slow the glasses buildup in our atmosphere that has rapidly been warming up our planet.”
Jillian - Grade 10
“My poster shows a cartoon girl picking up trash in front of a water fall. The water fall you see is actually a photograph I took myself, as I wanted to incorporate my photography into this poster. While the girl is illustrated, she represents my personal commitment to climate action and my participation in the Sustain Fairfax Challenge. By photographing the water fall and highlighting the act of picking up litter, I am showing how I help reduce pollution and protect our local environment. This action benefits the community by keeping our shared spaces clean, Preserving wildlife habitat, and reducing the resources needed for cleanup. The tagline "My Action, Our Climate" emphasizes that individual actions, like mine, can create a positive impact for everyone around the world.”
Caroline - Grade 10
“All of the things that we try to do everyday: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, our school Get2Green program, Walk or Bike to school, help to save us money on energy, gas, and other products.”
Claire – Grade 5
“I chose the Stop Littering to keep the environment clean; Use less electricity by turning off devices and unplugging chargers; Save water by turning off faucets, short showers, and letting nature water the plants.”
Cece – Grade 6
“Taking trash and food scraps and turning them into recyclable power.”
Benjamin – Grade 9
“My drawing shows how I turn off lights leaving a room, walking instead of driving a car both of which are better for the environment. I do all of these things every day as well as picking up trash in my neighborhood when I go on walks.”
Kristen – Grade 11
“Highlighting the "Shop Smart, Buy Less" Sustain Fairfax Challenge goal, this piece critiques the increasing trend of overconsumption in society. These days, we click “add to cart” on products that promise transformative results or will help us “fit-in” with our friends. Even if someone already owns a hoard of lip glosses (each only used a handful of times), they have the urge to get their hands on the newer, more relevant product advertised on social media. Overconsumption is generating an environmental crisis, especially because every time a new product is made, it depletes vital natural resources, like wood and water, to power manufacturing and delivery. Thus, before I make purchases, I've learned to take a step back to think about whether I really need the product and if it is built to last, which also contributes to less spending overall. I hope my artwork inspires others to do the same, fostering a more sustainable world and future.”
Cyra, Grade 4
“My Actions, Our Climate! My family and I help the Earth in different ways. My mom hangs clothes outside to dry, which saves energy. My dad picks fruits and vegetables from our garden, which gives us fresh food. I am planting a tree because trees help clean the air and make our world healthier. These are some ways my family helps take care of the Earth. When families work together, even small actions can make a big difference. I learned that small actions can make a big difference. If everyone helps a little, we can make the Earth cleaner and greener for people, animals, and plants.”
Caitlyn, Grade 6
“My drawing shows ways people can help our community and environment. In my drawing, people are planting trees and plants and recycling. Planting trees and plants helps absorb carbon dioxide and improves our air quality. They also make our community look pretty. Recycling saves trees, water, and energy. It also reduces pollution. Me and my family recycle things every week so there is less trash at the Lorton landfill. My drawing also shows someone holding a "Go Green" sign. The wind turbines in my picture are a form of green electricity. They can improve our air quality, reduce pollution, and save energy. We can make our planet better when we work together and go green.”
Moe, Grade 11
“An earth day image to spread awareness and positivity across the county”
Daniel, Grade 2
“I am a 2nd-grade student, and I was very excited to share my artwork for this challenge. My drawing features a "Recycling Superhero" who uses a grabber tool to collect litter and plastic bottles. This shows my commitment to the "Reduce Waste" action from the Sustain Fairfax Challenge. By picking up trash, I am protecting our environment and preventing pollution from entering our water systems. This simple action has a huge environmental impact: it saves energy by promoting recycling and keeps our Fairfax parks safe and clean for both people and wildlife. It proves that even as a 2nd grader, my small steps can lead to big energy savings and a healthier planet.”
The Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) leads the county’s environmental, energy and climate policies and programs. Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, subscribe to our newsletter, and — most importantly — implement some of the small changes we've outlined above to make an impact today.