By Tom Boisvert
Lincoln County Conservation Program Manager
LINCOLN COUNTY – Students and educators from Lincoln County Schools participated in the Annual Conservation Poster Contest hosted by the Lincoln County Conservation Program.
The Conservation Contest encourages students to submit posters that illustrate the conservation theme of the year. For 2024, the Conservation Contest theme was “May the Forest Be With You, Always.”
Being that our area schools are nestled in the heart of the Northwoods of Wisconsin, this year’s theme resonated with the contest participants. Maintaining healthy forests is crucial not just for environmental reasons, but for economical ones as well. Thriving forest ecosystems provide clean air and water to local communities, maintain ecological balance, ensure a robust timber industry, provide tourism opportunities and mitigate climate change impacts.
Because of this, a student’s creativity could be expressed in countless ways to display the 2024 theme. And without a doubt, all students that participated provided unique posters that helped promote the importance of conservation.
The Conservation Contest is an excellent opportunity for students to expand their appreciation for the environment and conservation and become involved with numerous Wisconsin Academic Standards. Educators that have been involved with the contest found this connection to the standards helpful, and have enjoyed the opportunity to promote conservation within the classroom.
“My students gained valuable knowledge about forest health and had a blast applying their newfound knowledge by creating posters,” said Kristina Walters, First Grade Teacher at Tomahawk Elementary School.
The Conservation Contest has several stages of competitions, and winners from each stage advance to the next. The contest begins at the local level (Lincoln County), which then proceeds to an Area Contest that includes nine counties, a State contest and even a national contest.
Grades K-1 category winners are Bethany Anderson, Hattie Stevenson and Adley Wiedemeier. These students won first, second and third places, respectively. All students are in Mrs. Boisvert’s and Mrs. Walters’ classes at Tomahawk Elementary.
Grades 4-6 category winners are Alesia Hockett, Emma Krombolz, and Carter Jewell, taking first, second, and third places, respectively. All students are in Mr. Johnson’s class at Trinity Merrill Lutheran School.
Grades 7-9 category winners are Jordyn Moser and Mariah Lonsdorf, winning first and second places, respectively. All students are in Ms. Wagenaar’s Art class at Merrill High School.
Grades 10-12 category winners are Jayda Nowak, Danica Lipke and Stephanie Bonke. These students won first, second and third places, respectively. All students are in Ms. Wagenaar’s Art class at Merrill High School.
For more information about the Annual Conservation Contest, please contact Tom Boisvert, Conservation Program Manager, at 715-539-1054.