MIDDLETOWN, Del. – Governor Jack A. Markell celebrated Arbor Day today by honoring the winners of the Delaware Forest Service’s annual school poster contest and joining Appoquinimink High School students and staff to plant more than 30 trees donated by Delmarva Power, which was also recognized with a “Tree Line USA” Award.

Link: Facebook Photo Album of State Arbor Day Ceremony highlights

• The Delaware Forest Service’s Arbor Day School Poster Contest is an annual competition open to students in grades K to 5 in all Delaware public, private, charter, and home schools. Winners from each county are chosen by a panel of judges in four categories: kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-4, and grade 5. Each winner receives a framed canvas reproduction of their winning poster, a gift card, a tree planting ceremony at their school, and a tree-themed keepsake book.
• This year’s theme was “Trees are Terrific… Inside and Out!”
• The 2015 State Winner is fourth-grader Rain Vasey of Watergirl Farm Academy in Lincoln, Sussex County.
• Complete list of 2015 Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners (Click on thumbnails for high-resolution images of the winning poster)

Senator Bethany Hall-Long (D-10, Middletown) joined Governor Markell for photos with the winning students. (Click links for photos)

NEW CASTLE COUNTY
Kindergarten: Kara Maloney, Harlan Elementary, Wilmington (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Karina Gendron, Jennie Smith Elementary, Newark (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Elena Garber, Christ the Teacher, Newark (Photo)
Grade 5: Ben Sekowski, Christ the Teacher, Newark (Photo)

KENT COUNTY
Kindergarten: McKenzie Slaton, Maj. George Welch Elementary, Dover (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Madisyn Woods, Nellie H. Stokes Elementary, Dover (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Liam Wilson, Clayton Elementary, Clayton (Photo)
Grade 5: Sofia Estrada, Clayton Intermediate, Clayton (Photo)

SUSSEX COUNTY
Kindergarten: Sydney Johnson, Phillip C. Showell Elementary, Selbyville (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Yael Rivas, Lord Baltimore Elementary, Ocean View (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Rain Vasey, Watergirl Farm Academy, Lincoln
Grade 5: Mercy Winston, Winston Learning Academy, Milford

• The Arbor Day Ceremony took place at Appoquinimink School District’s Outdoor Classroom – designed to demonstrate renewable energy in a way that students and the community can understand. The building features hydronic heating, photovoltaic power, a wind turbine, and a system for rainwater collection and reuse.  (Architectural photos of the outdoor classroom)

Delmarva Power and the Arbor Day Program:

• Delmarva Power donated more than 30 trees to be planted by Appoquinimink High School Students on the district’s campus on Bunker Hill Road near the entrance to the school complex. The planting was completed on May 1 through the cooperation of Delmarva Power, the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and the Appoquinimink School District grounds staff.  Students planted the trees under the guidance of teacher Karen Weiner of the AHS Career and Tech Education Department.
• Tree Line USA is a program of the National Arbor Day Foundation that recognizes best practices in utility arboriculture.  It is awarded each year to utilities that meet five core standards: 1) Quality Tree Care; 2) Annual Worker Training; 3) Tree Planting and Public Education; 4) Tree-Based Energy Conservation Program; and, 5) an Arbor Day Celebration.
• Delmarva Power has demonstrated a commitment to conservation and education through its Energy Saving Trees Program™  that allows homeowners to fill out an online application to request free trees for their property and a calculator that can estimate their cost and energy savings.
• Delmarva Power is the sole corporate sponsor of community Arbor Day Celebrations in all three Delaware counties. Each of Delaware’s 18 Tree City USA communities gets a free tree from Delmarva Power to use as part of their municipal Arbor Day Observance. In addition, each of the winners of the Arbor Day School Poster Contest receives a free tree and Arbor Day planting ceremony – courtesy of Delmarva Power.
• Delmarva Power employs forestry staff and administers a professional tree maintenance program that conforms to American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Delmarva Power is a division of Pepco Holdings, one of the largest suppliers of electricity and natural gas in the Mid-Atlantic Region. It has 305,000 Delaware electric customers, along with 126,000 Delmarva natural gas customers in New Castle County. Another 201,000 Maryland residents are served by Delmarva on that state’s Eastern Shore.

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