Poster winners are announced
5th graders participate in contest

Poster winners at Rusk Intermediate School include from top, starting clockwise: Jason Ellis, forester; Gabriel Ochoa, first place; Chelsea Daniels, second place; and Shelby Fraunberger, third place.

Local fifth graders joined thousands of students nationwide as participants in the National Arbor Day Foundation Poster Contest.

Local sponsors of the contest are the Texas Forest Service, Stephen F. Austin State University Mast Arboretum and Pineywoods Native Plant Center. Elyce Rodewald, education coordinator for the arboretum, and Jason Ellis, TFS forester for Cherokee County recently visited Nichols, Rusk and Wells intermediate schools with a hands-on science program about forests as ecosystems.

"Forests are more than just trees," explained Mr. Ellis, "They are home to many different plants and animals. Forests also provide many benefits to people including preserving soil, providing raw materials and offering opportunities for recreation."

"This year's contest theme is: Trees are terrific and forests are too. Connecting science concepts to an art project like the poster contest helps students understand forests as diverse ecosystems," said Mr. Rodewald. The first place winners' poster of each participating school was chosen to represent that school on the state level.

Poster winners at Wells include from left, Jason Ellis, forester; Cameron Justice, first place; and Bradli Ann Dominy, second place. Heather Whitworth, third place, is not pictured. Poster winners at Nichols Intermediate School include from left Timothy Cargill, third place; Saraim Hernandez, second place; Jason Ellis, forester; and Kerry Day, first place.