NATCHEZ — Even though art and soil and water conservation don’t have an obvious link, some students at Adams County Christian School have established a connection between the two.

Four students from ACCS participated in a poster contest hosted by the Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District — and all four students won.

This year’s winners were announced at the Conservation District’s annual dinner. Each won a small cash prize.

Each of their posters took first place in district level competition.

But art teacher Joie Morrison said the lesson her students got from the assignment was greater than their award.

Morrison said incorporating this year’s theme, Water is Life, into the poster project meant discussing water conservation with the students and having them continue the conversation at home with their parents.

“It’s a good way to get them thinking about this kind of thing,” Morrison said of the conservation message. “And it helps them to create good habits.”

Morrison said her students were first required to create three sketches of their ideas before deciding on what design would best fulfill the contest theme.

And once those ideas were solidified, they became award-winning works of art.

Bryan Nordan’s poster of two pelicans took first place for the high school competition.

“I didn’t really expect to win,” Nordan said. “But I’m glad I did.”

Allison Freeman also said she didn’t expect to win.

“It was fun,” she said of the contest.

And while Freeman was reluctant to discuss her accomplishments, Morrison said this most recent art contest isn’t the first Freeman has won.

But Freeman said she’s mostly in it for the fun.

“I just like it,” she said.

Freeman’s depiction of a woman drinking took first place in the second and third-grade level of competition.

Amber Frye got the message of the contest loud and clear.

“Everything needs water to live,” Frye said looking over her drawing of flowers before and after a watering.

Frye’s drawing took first place in the fourth through sixth-grade contest.

The fourth winner is no longer a student at ACCS.