April 14, 2006

As a part of this year’s Department of Environmental Quality Earth Day Celebration, DEQ Director Steven E. Chester will be honoring the winners of the 2006 Earth Day poster contest. The contest was created to promote environmental awareness by giving students from Kindergarten through 5th grade an opportunity to design and create a poster celebrating an Earth Day theme.

This year, more than 1,500 posters were submitted from all over Michigan; 1st place and 2nd place winners were selected, representing each of the six grade levels.

“We are inspired by the number of students who participated in the contest this year,” said Director Chester. “Their enthusiasm and creativity serve as an example of why we must protect our great natural resources for them to enjoy, and for their children to enjoy.”

The posters will be decorating the walls of Constitution Hall during the Earth Day celebrations on Thursday, April 20.

This year’s winners are:

Kindergarten
1st Place: Libby Frucci Park Lane Elementary, Grosse Ile
2nd Place: William Nearing Wilde Elementary, Warren

1st Grade
1st Place: Chloe Hutchison Park Lane Elementary, Grosse Ile
2nd Place: Mary Shepard Trombly Elementary, Grosse Point Park

2nd Grade
1st Place: Madelon Sprite Zinser Elementary, Walker
2nd Place: Ajilan Potter New Branches School, Grand Rapids

3rd Grade
1st Place: Ellie Wilson North Muskegon Elementary, North Muskegon
2nd Place: Hannah Thoms Seymour Elementary, Flushing

4th Grade
1st Place: Emma Hosack Oakdale Christian School, Grand Rapids
2nd Place: Keith Johnson John R. King Elementary, Detroit

5th Grade
1st Place: Camellia Perreault St. Patrick School-Brighton, Brighton
2nd Place: Caroline Carr Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills

For more information on the Earth Day Poster Contest, and to view the winning posters, visit the DEQ’s Web site at: www.mi.gov/deq.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised April 14, 2006 by Pat Watson