A Young Artist’s Comic Inspires Action for Watersheds

Watershed Comic by Cerys Watkins.

At Friends of the River, we love to see the next generation taking action to protect California’s rivers and watersheds. That’s why we’re excited to share a special contribution from Cerys Watkins, a 6th-grade student in Sacramento, who created a comic to inspire others to care for their local watersheds.

Cerys developed this project as part of the Caring For Our Watersheds program, an educational initiative that encourages students to identify local watershed issues and propose solutions. As part of the final stage of the project, students take real-world action to implement their ideas. For Cerys, that meant using creativity to spread awareness in an engaging and accessible way—through a hand-drawn comic, later completed digitally using ibisPaint X.

Inspired by classic comic styles like Garfield, Cerys’ story follows a young boy learning how small everyday actions—such as turning off the tap while brushing his teeth—can make a difference for his local river. The comic’s goal is simple yet powerful: to show that even small steps can contribute to a healthier watershed.

In addition to presenting her project to a panel of judges, Cerys is working to share her comic with local water-focused organizations to spread awareness. We’re proud to support her efforts and showcase her work.

Check out Cerys’ comic above and consider sharing it with your friends and family. Every action, no matter how small, can help protect our rivers and watersheds for future generations!

Thank you, Cerys, for your creativity and dedication to California’s rivers!