CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Division of Forestry officials today announced the winners of the 2009 West Virginia Arbor Day Poster Contest. Beth Sawyer, a fifth-grade student at Kingwood Elementary School in Preston County, created the winning design representing this year’s theme, “Trees Are Terrific…in Cities and Towns!” Sawyer’s first-place poster was automatically entered in the National Arbor Day Poster Contest representing the state of West Virginia. In addition to receiving a $100 U.S. Savings Bond provided by the West Virginia Forestry Association, Sawyer also will have a tree planted in her honor during a special ceremony. The date of that ceremony is to be announced.
Hannah Pineault, who attends Woodburn Elementary School in Monongalia County, placed second, and another Preston County fifth-grader, Sabrina Spiker of Tunnelton-Denver Elementary, placed third. Awards ceremonies for Spiker and Pineault also will be scheduled in the near future.
The contest is open every year to all public, private and home-schooled fifth-grade students in West Virginia. A total of 20 schools and 680 fifth-grade students participated in the 2009 West Virginia Arbor Day Poster Contest.
The winning posters may be viewed at the Division of Forestry’s Web site, www.wvforestry.com.
For more information about the Arbor Day Poster Contest, contact Andy Sheetz at andy.i.sheetz@wv.gov or (304) 558-2788.