DOVER, Del. – U.S. Senator Thomas R. Carper joined public officials and schoolchildren to observe “Delaware Arbor Day” at Dover Air Force Base, which celebrated its 25th Year as a Tree City USA. The last Friday in April is commemorated as Arbor Day in the First State, an occasion to encourage tree planting and highlight the numerous benefits that trees provide: cleaner air and water, natural beauty, valuable wood products and food, reduced storm water runoff, and improved property values. The ceremony also honored the winners of the Delaware Forest Service’s annual school poster contest and included a ceremonial tree planting of an American holly (Ilex opaca), Delaware’s state tree. Alaina Stecher, a fifth-grader at Christ the Teacher School in Newark, is the statewide winner of the Delaware Forest Service’s annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest. This year’s theme was “Trees are terrific… from acorn to oak!”  The complete gallery of winning posters (with links to hi-res images) is at http://delawaretrees.com/2017arbordaypostercontest

Established by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, it is estimated that one million trees were planted on the very first Arbor Day.

Additional photos of the event can be found at the Delaware Forest Service’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/delforestservice.

The annual school poster contest is open to all K-5 public, private, and charter schools as well as other organized youth groups and after-school programs. A total of 126 classrooms from 40 schools participated in this year’s contest, with 3,647 students creating original posters. Winners were selected from each county in the following grade categories: K, 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5. Judging criteria were: originality, use of theme, neatness, and artistic expression. Each winner receives a tree-themed book and a print reproduction of their poster on fine art canvas. Thanks to corporate sponsor Delmarva Power, a free tree planting ceremony will also be held at each winner’s school. In addition, every participating classroom receives free pine seedlings for all participants. This year, students from the Middletown High School FFA Chapter and senior volunteers from the Modern Maturity Center in Dover wrapped thousands of seedlings for schoolchildren statewide.

This year’s poster contest winners were:

New Castle County

Kindergarten: Emily Najera  — Robert S. Gallaher  Elementary, Newark

Grades 1-2: Amy Tang — Jennie Smith Elementary, New Castle

Grades 3-4: John Chacko —  Christ the Teacher School, Newark

Grade 5:  Alaina Stecher  — Christ the Teacher School, Newark

Kent County

Kindergarten Audriana Bourne  — Major George Welch Elementary, Dover

Grades 1-2: Isabelle Kim —   WB Simpson Elementary, Wyoming

Grade 3-4: Haley Holderman— WB Simpson Elementary, Wyoming

Grade 5: Hailey McCutchan —  Clayton Intermediate School, Clayton

Sussex County

Kindergarten: Maryia Dorakhava —  Rehoboth Elementary, Rehoboth

Grades 1-2: Shannon Scudder —  Lord Baltimore Elementary, Ocean View

Grades 3-4: Amelia Meyer —  Southern Delaware School of Arts, Selbyville

Grade 5: Samuel Winston  —  Winston Learning Academy, Milford

Each year, Delaware celebrates the last Friday in April as “Arbor Day,” an occasion to plant trees and spotlight the numerous natural benefits that trees provide. First established in the United States by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 (almost a hundred years before Earth Day was introduced), an estimated one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the very first Arbor Day. Arbor Day observances are also an integral part of community recognition programs such as Tree Campus USA, Tree City USA, and Delaware’s Tree Friendly Community Award, as well as qualifying for a financial award from the Urban Grant Program.

The Delaware Forest Service sponsors an annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest for Delaware schoolchildren in grades K to 5 for all public, private, home, and charter schools. The winners receive a tree planting at their school, a gift card, a tree-themed book, and an invitation for them and their family to attend the State Arbor Day event with Governor Markell on May 12.  Click here to see (high-resolution) images of the 2016 Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners.

For more information, contact Ashley Peebles, 302-698-4551 or Ashley.Peebles@delaware.gov.

“Trees are Terrific…and Forests are Too!” That’s the theme of the Delaware Forest Service’s 2016 Arbor Day Poster Contest, which is open to all children in grades K to 5 in Delaware public, private, home, and charter schools. After-school programs and youth groups are also eligible. The deadline for poster submission is April 8, 2016. For more information, email contest coordinator Ashley Peebles or call 302-698-4551.

Teachers and schools can register for the contest, sign up to receive free tree seedlings for their school, and access the 2016 Arbor Day Poster Contest Guidelines at the Arbor Day Poster Contest Event Brite Registration Link.

A total of 12 winners will be selected: one from each county (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex)  in four separate grade categories (grades K, 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5). From these county winners, an overall State Winner will be chosen.

County winners receive:

• $25.00 gift card
• ceremonial tree planting held at the winner’s school
• invitation to the State Arbor Day Ceremony (attended by the Governor)
• “Tree inspired” children’s book
• winning posters will be reprinted on canvas and framed for display as a keepsake
• winning posters will be displayed online
• The State Winner will receive all of the above plus an additional $25.00 gift card.

  A complete gallery of the 2015 Poster Contest Winners can be viewed online.

Judging will take place at the Delaware Department of Agriculture and winners will be announced in early April.

Posters will be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 on the following criteria:

1. Use of Theme
2. Originality
3. Neatness
4. Artistic Expression

This year’s theme is designed to increase knowledge about forests and forest resources and the Arbor Day contest can be a great supplement to a K-5 science unit. The goal is to help children learn about the numerous benefits of trees and their direct impact on community health and well-being. Schools are a perfect setting to incorporate the role of urban trees into the everyday curriculum. Trees provide beauty while providing habitat and food for wildlife. They also improve air and water quality, muffle noise, enhance property values, moderate air temperatures, mitigate soil erosion, and reduce energy consumption.

All participating classes will receive free loblolly pine seedlings! Seedlings will be delivered just in time for planting in late-April.

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.