DOVER – The Delaware Association of Conservation Districts today announced the 2016 winners of the districts’ annual conservation poster contest, which featured the theme, “We All Need Trees.”
Posters were judged on how well they convey the conservation theme, along with use of color, attention to detail, an easy-to-understand conservation message, originality and creativity. First, second and third place winners in each grade category received a gift card valued at $50, $25 and $15 respectively, from their local Conservation District office. The first-place state winners received $50 from the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts.
First-place winners in each county are (Photos are included for the state winners):
| Grade | New Castle County | Kent County | Sussex County |
| K – 1 |  Annabelle WeiWilliam Cooke Elementary School |
Sarah Stewart Home-schooled |
No submissions |
| 2 – 3 |  Labron PenderHarry O. Eisenberg Elementary School |
No submissions | No submissions |
| 4 – 6 |  Eason LiThe Independence School |
Mary Watts Clayton Intermediate |
Katelyn Wingate Lord Baltimore Elementary School |
| 7 – 9 | Isabella Lindia MOT Charter School |
Mason Samenik Smyrna Middle School |
 Dorothy McCormickMcCarville Academy |
| 10 – 12 |  Sophia SweetmanMiddletown High School |
Abrianna Dyer Dover High School |
Lauren Thornburg Sussex Technical High School |
The state-level winning posters by Annabelle Wei, Labron Pender, Eason Li, Dorothy McCormick and Sophia Sweetman are entered in the national poster contest sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts Ladies Auxiliary. National winners will be announced Jan. 29 at the NACD conference in Denver, Colo.
Delaware’s poster contest also includes a category for computer generated/graphic arts posters. Entries were received from three schools in New Castle County and one school in Sussex County.
New Castle County winners were:
- First place: Hailey Poe, William Penn High School
- Second place: Heidi Hernandez, Delcastle High School
- Third place: Benjamin Maldonado, Delcastle High School
Sussex County winners from Sussex Technical High School were:
- First place went to Brittany Ritter
- Second place to Samantha Lee
- Third place to Kate Bagshaw
The annual conservation poster contest gives students an opportunity to convey their artistic impressions about soil, water and related natural resources. The contest follows the annual Soil and Water Stewardship Week theme as sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts. The 2016 theme about trees encouraged people to remember the importance of trees to our environment and health. Trees give us so many benefits: food, fiber, wood products, medicinal products, wildlife habitat, shade, water quality, oxygen and so many more.
The 2017 poster contest will focus on the theme, “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life.” More information can be found at the NACD website at www.nacdnet.org under the Stewardship and Education page.
For more information about the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts poster contest, contact Public Outreach Coordinator Rick Mickowski at the New Castle Conservation District, 302-832-3100, ext. 8979.
For more information about your local Conservation District, contact your county office: New Castle Conservation District at 302-832-3100; Kent Conservation District at 302-741-2600; and Sussex Conservation District at 302-856-3990.
Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov
Vol. 47, No. 6