Columbia, SC—Twenty student entries have earned recognition and cash prizes in the Richland County Arbor Day Youth Contests, sponsored by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).  Additionally, five schools—A.C. Moore Elementary, Catawba Trail Elementary, Longleaf Middle, Lower Richland High School, and Higher Heights Learning Academy—have been named recipients of School Spirit Awards for exceptional efforts to engage students in Arbor Day activities.  A complete list of winners is below.  

This year’s “Trees of SC” competition challenged students to learn about one of the nearly 150 native tree species and present their findings in the form of writing, videos, posters, and bulletin boards.  The contest was open to all Richland County students in grades K-12.  Popular trees among the entries included longleaf pine, southern magnolia, sycamore, and oaks, but many other species were represented.

In South Carolina, Arbor Day is observed on the first Friday in December.  In addition to the youth awareness contests, the Richland SWCD will celebrate Arbor Day with a special program and tree-planting ceremony at Bookman Road Elementary School on December 6th.  


School Spirit Awards

A.C. Moore Elementary School	Teachers: Nancy Frick, Dori Fain & Daniele Crosby
Catawba Trail Elementary School	Teacher: Vikki Pasco
Longleaf Middle School	Teacher: Kristin Ziegler
Lower Richland High School	Teacher: Catherine Pontens-Alemu
Higher Heights Learning Academy	Teacher: April Hagins

Video Contest

Ms. Pasco’s D Week (3rd Grade)

Catawba Trail Elementary School

Bulletin Board Contest

Ms. Pasco’s C Week (3rd Grade)	Catawba Trail Elementary School
French Club (9th-12th Grades)	Lower Richland High School
Ms. Hagins’s Class (1st-12th Grades)	Higher Heights Learning Academy

Poster Contest

Grade	Name	School
1st	Alex Virzi	A.C. Moore Elementary School
2nd	Joseph Ravindran	Pontiac Elementary School
3rd	David Vandelay	Pontiac Elementary School
4th	Jackson Price	A.C. Moore Elementary School
5th	Jacintha Ravindran	Pontiac Elementary School
8th	MaryKathryn Davidson	SC Association of Independent Home Schools
Team	Ms. Pasco’s A Week (3rd Grade)	Catawba Trail Elementary School

Writing Contest

Grade	Name	School
3rd	Whitley Jones	North Springs Elementary School
4th	Addie-Grace Cook	Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
6th	Ki’Aunjanae Whitmire	Longleaf Middle School
7th	Claire Nelson	Longleaf Middle School
8th	MaryKathryn Davidson	SC Association of Independent Home Schools
Team	Ms. Pasco’s B Week (3rd Grade)	Catawba Trail Elementary School

Honorable Mention

Grade	Name	School
4th	Anna Timbes	Brockman Elementary School
7th	Kristofer Hill	Longleaf Middle School
8th	Eloise Lamie	Longleaf Middle School

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 planning and use of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County. 

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