Columbia, SC—The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (RSWCD) has selected 34 winning entries from Richland County K-12 students in the 2017 Arbor Day Youth Contests.  A complete list of winners is below.  Winning entries will be awarded cash prizes, and some will be displayed at the SC Forestry Commission Headquarters and the RSWCD’s Spring Banquet.

This year’s contest theme was “The Real Trees of Richland County,” and it challenged students to identify and investigate a real tree in their schoolyard or neighborhood.  Students were then asked to respond to the theme with a poster, booklet, ornament, or video sharing something they learned about their tree.  Responses ranged from a birch bark ornament (created by Ruby Rutherford, Kali Jackson, and Tania Garcia; 3^rd Grade; Catawba Trail Elementary School) to a booklet exploring the natural history, cultivation, and cultural significance of the Japanese Cherry (created by Emna Guedhami; 5^th Grade; Center for Knowledge).

Arbor Day is a holiday set aside to plant, care for, and celebrate trees.  The first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska in 1872.  While several states observe Arbor Day in spring, South Carolina celebrates Arbor Day on the first Friday in December because winter is the best time to plant trees in our climate.  The Richland SWCD will celebrate Arbor Day with students and teachers at Arden Elementary School on Friday, December 1^st.

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2017 Arbor Day Youth Contest Award Winners

A.C. Moore Elementary School
Teacher:  Nancy Frick

• Fatimah Almakhtar; 1^st Place Ornament; 2^nd Grade
• Max Humphrey; 2^nd Place Ornament; 2^nd Grade

Arden Elementary School
Teacher:  George Sims

• Jonathan Anzora Ruano; 1^st Place Poster; Kindergarten
• Aida Alvarado Martel; 2^nd Place Poster; Kindergarten
• Kei’ Aaron Jones-Oree; 3^rd Place Poster; Kindergarten
• Tayveon Martin; 2^nd Place Poster; 1^st Grade
• Rayshaun Woods; 3^rd Place Poster; 1^st Grade
• Kevin Monroy; 3^rd Place Poster; 3^rd Grade
• Rahquentez Mills; 1^st Place Poster; 5^th Grade
• Shayla Robinson; 3^rd Place Poster; 5^th Grade

Teachers:  Rose Davis and George Sims

• Tatiana Davis and Jeremiah Davis; 1^st Place Video; 4^th Grade
• Shybon Dawson-Guinyard and Marcus Wilkinson; 1^st Place Video; 5^th Grade

Catawba Trail Elementary School
Teacher:  Vikki Pasco

• Aylin Mayorga Rebolledo, Royce Ertsey, Aziya Wilson, and A’Naiyah Wallace; 1^st Place Ornament; 3^rd Grade
• Ruby Rutherford, Kali Jackson, and Tania Garcia; 2^nd Place Ornament; 3^rd Grade
• Drea Walker; 1^st Place Ornament; 5^th Grade
• Emily Lee, Chenoa Haygood, and Jourdyne Session; 2^nd Place Ornament; 5^th Grade
• Harleen Jhaj and Jazmyne Scott; 3^rd Place Ornament; 5^th Grade
• Evan Carl Outlaw; 1^st Place Poster; 1^st Grade
• Carter Tew, Rudra Patel, and Anthony Gloriani; 1^st Place Poster; 3^rd Grade
• Baya Hardee, Maya Alsaka, and Ava Smith; 2^nd Place Poster; 3^rd Grade
• Lillian Lybrand; 1^st Place Poster; 4^th Grade
• Kyah Shephard, Vivian Angeles, Kiara Liz Ortiz Rojas; 2^nd Place Poster; 5^th Grade
• Ellen Shelton, Samantha Heinz, and RaShaun Pickett; 1^st Place Booklet; 3^rd Grade
• Ella Gillam; 3^rd Place Booklet; 5^th Grade
• Mrs. Hill’s Third Grade Class; 1^st Place Video; 3^rd Grade

Center for Knowledge
Teacher:  Stacey Hardwick

• Emna Guedhami; 1^st Place Booklet; 5^th Grade
• Juliana Stacy; 2^nd Place Booklet; 5^th Grade

Homeschool
Teacher:  Cathleen Yates

• Quinn Yates; 3^rd Place Poster; 6^th Grade

Longleaf Middle School
Teacher:  Kristin Ziegler

• Jasmine Schaefer; 1^st Place Ornament; 6^th Grade
• Jacoby Glover; 1^st Place Poster; 6^th Grade
• Maite Torres Guilhamelou; 2^nd Place Poster; 6^th Grade
• Giselly Lopez and Kaylen Logans; 1^st Place Video; 6^th Grade

Lower Richland High School
Teacher:  Constantina Green

• Makayla Weston; 1^st Place Ornament; 10^th Grade

SC Association of Independent Home Schools
Teacher:  Teri Davidson

• Mary Kathryn Davidson; 1^st Place Ornament; 12^th Grade

# # #

Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners. In South Carolina, Conservation District boundaries conform to County boundaries. The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County.

Contact

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone (803) 576-2080
Fax (803) 576-2088
E-mail soilandwater@rcgov.us
Facebook www.facebook.com/rswcd