Will Stough
Best of Show winner, Will Stough. USFS photo.
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Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster Contest Participants
Pinedale Ranger District news
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
February 12, 2007
(Pinedale, Wyoming) – The Bridger-Teton National Forest Pinedale Ranger District encouraged children in the Pinedale area to participate in the National Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Poster Contest this year. The annual contest is open to children in the 1st through 5th grades.
In November, the Ranger District personnel visited the Pinedale Elementary School and talked to1st, 3rd, and 4th graders about Woodsy Owl and his message of “Lend a Hand
and Care for the Land.” This message of self responsibility encourages children to take an active role in caring for the land through recycling, reusing, and reducing waste; planting and caring for trees; using resources wisely (such as not wasting water or electricity); not littering; and actively caring for the planet.
This year, Pinedale had almost 130 students participate in the event. All of the entries were forwarded on to the Wyoming State Garden Club Committee who will select winners to be passed on to the National Garden Club in Washington D.C. At the National level, there is a first, second, third, and honorable mention place for each grade level, along with a National Grand Prize winner. The National Grand Prize winner will win a free trip to Washington D.C. for an awards presentation ceremony. The first place winners of each grade level will win a U.S. Savings Bond. All National winners will be announced at the 2007 National Garden Club Convention on Earth Day and will also be posted on the www.symbols.gov website.
In conjunction with the National contest, the Pinedale Ranger District and the Sage and Snow Garden Club hosted their own local contest. People from the community judged the entries based on the same criteria as the national contest. The judges were Bob Reese, Hank Williams, Deb Sherman, Lois Decker, Melita Snow, and Kay Meeks. All posters are currently on display at the Pinedale Library in the Lovatt Room, from February 12th through March 4th.
The winners for the local Pinedale Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Poster Contest are: for first grade; 1st place Jon Weimer, 2nd place Carson Stinson, 3rd place Zoe Noble. The third grade winners are; 1st place Jordan Costello, 2nd place Isabel Wills, 3rd place Laura Noble. The fourth grade winners are; 1st place Renee Harper, 2nd place Hana Patterson, 3rd place Rikki Thompson. The Best of Show award went to Will Stough.
Kay Meeks generously mounted each winner’s poster for the children. Along with their mounted poster, first place winners received a savings bond from the Sage and Snow Garden Club and a Smokey Bear baseball and bandana. Second place winners received a Smokey Bear lantern, and third place winners received a Woodsy Owl bird feeder. Prizes were awarded to the students at school on February 12, 2007.
The Bridger-Teton is very grateful to all the judges, teachers, and especially all the students that participated in the event. The Forest wishes the participants the best of luck as they go on to participate at the national level.
Photos courtesy Bridger-Teton National Forest
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