EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Meridian Garden Club and East Lansing Environmental Stewardship Program recently co-sponsored and co-hosted the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest at Whitehills Elementary School.
This contest, open to students in first through fourth grade, is sponsored nationally by the USDA Forest Service and National Garden Clubs, Inc. The Meridian Garden Club is a member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Students in Ms. Stephanie Krumbach’s third-grade class designed and colored sixteen posters to be entered into the contest. Of these sixteen posters, four winners were selected. The winners were honored at a special classroom ceremony on Jan. 14.
The 1st Place winner will have her poster sent to the state level to compete against other third-grade entries in Michigan. From there, posters have the opportunity to be sent on to the national competition.
Winners are:
1st Place – Sarah Hampton
2nd Place – Tyler Keefe
3rd Place – Ember McPherson
Honorable Mention – Austin Scott
The National Grand Prize Winner of the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest will be honored at a Recognition Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Round-trip airfare and accommodations for four will be provided. The National Garden Clubs, Inc. will award a $50 check to each of the 1st Place national winners in all five grades.
Special thanks to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and East Lansing Fire Department for making the Jan. 14 classroom ceremony special. The MDNR provided the Smokey Bear costume and both entities provided giveaways for the students.