The Friends of Wake Soil and Water Conservation District honored 10 fifth-grade Wake County students as winners of the “Wetlands Are Wonderful” poster contest at the 46th Annual Conservation Awards Celebration on Dec. 8
Judges found the students’ posters outstanding for balancing accurate science and original artwork, while illustrating different types of NC wetlands, describing the benefits wetlands provide people and the environment, and showing ways people are protecting them from being harmed, altered or destroyed.
The Top Three received cash awards:
- $100 to Olivia Karen Andrews from Green Hope Elementary
- $50 to Ashley J. Johnson from Alston Ridge Elementary
- $25 to Ryan Bodnarik from Wendell Elementary
Honored were Albert Minseok Choi and Anusha Agarwal of Farmington Woods Magnet Elementary, Katelyn Neeley of Green Hope Elementary, An-War Pace, Jr. and Nicky Lacey of Hunter Magnet Elementary, Kiara Bush of Lockhart Elementary and Sonoma Kappel Knecht of Pleasant Union Elementary. The 10 students received a framed certificate.
This spring, Andrews’ 1st Place poster will compete at the regional level with winning student posters from 10 other counties. Her winning poster features an electrical quiz on wetland animals – the bulb lights up if you correctly match the animal with its life history. Andrews highlights chemistry test results that she took at Blackwoods Swamp near Jordan Lake, as well as statistics that reveal NC as one of six states that have lost the most wetland acres.
To reverse this trend, Andrews offers simple actions that everyone can take to protect wetlands:
- Use less fertilizer by testing soil first and planting native plants that need fewer nutrients
- Use less toxic alternatives to chemical cleaners, herbicides and pesticides
- Avoid building in wetland areas – allow them to exist where they can filter stormwater runoff, recharge groundwater, provide habitat, and absorb excess water to prevent flooding
All Top 10 poster winners, their teachers and families will enjoy a special spring wetlands session at Walnut Creek Wetland Center sponsored by Raleigh Parks and Recreation. The group will enjoy hands-on activities and a get-wet wetland exploration to learn first-hand about the plants and wildlife that make this urban wetland their home.
More than 825 Wake County fifth graders from 12 elementary schools participated in this year’s conservation poster contest sponsored by Wake Soil & Water Conservation District and Novozymes Nature’s GREEN-RELEAF Composting.
For more information on the poster contest, contact Wake District’s Environmental Educator Sheila Jones at 919-250-1065 or sbjones@wakegov.com.
Fifth grader Olivia Karen Andrews beams as she points to her 1st
Place “Wetlands Are Wonderful” poster.
Ashley J. Johnson is congratulated by WRAL-TV 5 Meteorologist
Elizabeth Gardner for her 2nd Place “Wetlands Are Wonderful” poster.
Looking like he can’t believe it, Ryan Bodnarik from Stephanie
Reid’s class at Wendell Elementary reacts to the news that he’s won 3rd
Place in the “Wetlands Are Wonderful” poster contest.