The Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department recently hosted its Conservation Speaking and Poster Contest at the Oneida County Courthouse in Rhinelander.  The contest reaches out to area youth, kindergarten through twelfth grade, to create messages about conservation and environmental awareness.  This year, students from six different elementary, middle and high schools competed in the two contests.  This has become a popular event and some teachers have included participation in the contest part of their yearly class curriculum.

This year’s theme for the Poster Contest was “We All Need Trees”.  Area students submitted their artwork to Oneida County and posters were judged Feb. 2.

The winners of the Poster Contest are as follows – Elementary Division (Grades 2-3):  FIRST:  Stella Meza, 3^rd Grade, Creative Minds, Minocqua;  Middle Division (Grades 4-6):  FIRST: Mallory Meyers, 6^th Grade, James Williams Middle School; SECOND: Anna Wood, 6^th Grade, Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School; and a tie for THIRD: Hannah Rumney, 6^th Grade and Sierra Woodford, 6^th Grade, both from James Williams Middle School;  Junior Division (Grades 7-9): FIRST: Carleene Morien, 8^th Grade; SECOND: Sienna Webber, 7^th Grade and THIRD:  Stephen George, 7^th Grade, all from James Williams Middle School.

Eighteen other posters, in both the Middle and Junior Divisions, received an Honorable Mention Ribbon.  Congratulations to all the artists!  Copies of the first Place winning posters and all other original posters can be seen on the wall in the hallway just around the corner from the Oneida County Board Room on the second floor of the Oneida County Courthouse in Rhinelander.They will be on display until May.

The Conservation and Environmental Awareness Speaking Contest, dedicated to Jean Hansen, Oneida County Conservationist who passed away in January, was held Feb. 4 at the Oneida County Courthouse.  Students presented their speeches on topics such as purple loosetrife, road salt, soil erosion and recycling of roads.

The winners and their speech titles in all divisions are as follows:  Elementary Division:  FIRST: Ellie Lurvey, “How About Recycling Roads?”; SECOND: Kara Sowinski, “Soil Erosion” and THIRD: Chloe Zmek, “Hiking Along the Lake”.  In the Senior Division, Grace Hoger placed FIRST with her speech called, “The (Road) Salt Monster.”  Congratulations to all the speakers!

The Land & Water Conservation Department wishes to thank area students, their parents and teachers for their hard work and encouragement.  Thanks also, to all family members, friends and Committee members for supporting and inspiring our youth to be future conservation stewards.  And, thank you to our judges, score and time keepers, and other staff, without whom, this contest could not be held.