NORTH CRAWFORD AND VIROQUA - Each year local students have the opportunity to participate in a fun and educational event that helps fellow students and the community understand important environmental issues.
The Wisconsin Land and Water Poster and Speech Contest is an annual event designed to help pass on Wisconsin’s rich conservation history to future generations.
Competition in Viroqua
Recently, area students shared their posters and speeches as they competed for advancement to the state level. Students competed at county and area competitions. Contestants with their first place winning posters and speeches are moving on to compete at the state competition in March at the Wisconsin Land and Water’s annual conference, this year, in Lake Geneva, WI.
The first place posters at the state competition represent Wisconsin at the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting. The first place winners in each age level of the speaking contest share their speeches at the conference luncheon.
The 2018 National poster contest theme is ‘Watersheds-Our Water, Our Home’. This year’s speech topics included endangered animals, water pollution, nutrient management, frac sand mining and the history of soil conservation.
Moving on to the state competition are the following students with their first place posters.
Naia Sandberg -Vernon
Ella Simonson - Vernon
Eliana Nemes -Vernon
Payton Jones -Monroe
Macy Lein - Trempealeau
Moving on to the state competition are the following students with their first place speeches.
Oliver Remus -Trempealeau
Zirelia Leinberger –Vernon
Caleb Bergum – Vernon
The Conservation Awareness Poster contest is open to students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The Conservation Awareness Speech contest is open to three age levels: elementary-grades 5-6, junior-grades 7-8, senior grades 9-12.
The Crawford County Land Conservation Department recently held their annual Conservation Speaking and Poster Contests.
The theme for the poster contest was “Watersheds- Our Water, Our Home”. Over 100 posters were judged in four age categories. First place winning posters in each division went on to the area contest.
The following students received a gift certificate donated by Greener’s Corner in Seneca.
Kindergarten-1st grade
1st Reid Hamann, Seneca
2nd Kylie Smyth,
Seneca
3rd Sam Gallagher, Seneca
2nd-3rd grade
1st Makala Foley, Seneca
2nd Penelope Fisher, Seneca
3rd Kaeli Sime, Seneca
4th-6th grade
1st Jack Gallagher, Seneca
2nd Madison Kumlin, De Soto
3rd Kylie Chambers, Seneca
7th-9th grade
1st Bridget Hagensick, Seneca
2nd Grace Check, Seneca
3rd Skylar Alvarado, Seneca
At the Crawford County Speaking Contest, Miles Kandler took home 1st place with his speech entitled, “Slender Glass Lizard”. Miles beat out Sarah Pini’s “Light Pollution” and Ellaree Young’s “Flooding” speeches to advance to the Area Speaking Contest, where he placed 2nd with his speech. All speakers were from North Crawford School. They received a free personal pan pizza and drink from The Marketplace in Gays Mills. Judges were Karyl Fritsche, NRCS District Conservationist, Travis Bunting, LCD Conservation Specialist, and Christine Walroth and Rebecca Vasquez, WI DNR Foresters.
The Crawford County Land Conservation Department sponsors many youth programs and the committee consists of: Buzz Esser, Wade Dull, David Olson, Harriet Behar, and Don Dudenbostel.