Freshwater semifinals

Published: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 11:06 PM CDT

Luke Muyskens, a student at School of Environmental Studies in Apple Valley, was recently named a semi-finalist in Freshwater Society's Water is Life Art Contest, sponsored in cooperation with Metro Education Cooperative Service Unit. His video will go on to the statewide competition for the chance to win a $500 scholarship.

The Freshwater Society, a 40-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring Minnesotans to conserve and protect water, invited Minnesota high school students to present their artistic representation of the value of water. The art contest is part of the organization's commitment to increasing awareness of freshwater issues.

His video entry for the Water is Life competition is a series of short clips of water in its different forms set to the song "New World Water" by Mos Def (Songwriters: D. Smith, L. Fernandez, Rawkus/Priority/EMI Records 0499 2 50141 s 9, 1999).

He said in his entry: "The video incorporates a series of shots varying from a blizzard to frigid snow to melting ice to running streams and standing pools. These shots highlight not only the versatility of water, but also its prevalence in the world by finding water is places where it is not usually thought of. The message in this video is how when winter turns to spring and water melts and is released from its frozen state, the water brings the life of spring. However, the song is emphasizing the perpetual necessity in contrast with the current contamination and commercialization of water that is causing a shortage around the world."

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2009/05/06/community/cw07freshwater.txt