One Water contest has record number of entries
By JUDY TERELETSKY HSWCD District Clerk
Each year Howard Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) sponsors a conservation poster contest for students under the age of thirteen. Their entries are judged at the local level and then a chosen few compete at the area and hopefully state levels. The state winner moves on to national competition. The theme for the 2023 contest was “One Water” and the HSWCD received a record 383 entries from local students!
Students from Coahoma Elementary, Coahoma Academy, Forsan Elementary and Washington Elementary created artworks reflecting the importance of conserving and protecting our water. Howard County relies on groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer which like all aquifers is replenished through watershed of rain and melting snows. It is vital that we conserve water, so we don't use more than what is available.
The entries were judged locally resulting in the following winners. In the K-2nd grade division all winners were from second grade in Coahoma. First place winners were Brenley Cline and Adalynn Bollier. Second place winners were Adeline Burnam , Olivia Mejia, and Scarlett Smith with third place winners Cooper Parrish and Ava Van Pelt. Rhett Froman received honorable mention. Posters by Brenley Cline, Adalynn Bollier and Adeline Burnam were sent on to compete at Area.
In the division of 3rd Grade through 6th Grade, there were a total of 35 awards. In the 3rd grade first place awards were given to Jaiden Grant from Washington Elementary, Paisley
Ramsey of Coahoma Elementary, Gordon Arnoldy of Coahoma Academy, and Eden Montez of Coahoma Elementary. Second place winners were Robert Franco of Washington Elementary, and Brooklyn Cox from Coahoma Elementary. There were two third place winners, Gracie Sudarma and Eli Arguello from Coahoma Elementary.
In Fourth grade, first place winners were Neilee Gonzalez, Luke Pritchard, and Brantley Everett of Forsan Elementary along with Raylee Falcon, Brylee Chadwell, and Madison Chavez from Coahoma Elementary. Second place winners were Kreed Smith, Kenzi Smith, and Sophia Valadez of Coahoma Elementary along with Coleman Ward, Kari Esparza and Kyrie Lemons from Forsan Elementary. Forsan students Kenzie Franco and Tucker Rose were awarded third place for their posters. The entry from Brantley Everett of Forsan Elementary will continue to area competition.
Fifth Grade awards were as follows. First place went to Farhlei Iang, Laila Petrowski, and Haylea Elliot all from Forsan Elementary. Farhlei Iang's and Laila Petrowski's posters moved on to compete at the area level. Second place winners were Audri Rosales and Aeva Maddox from Coahoma Elementary and Tyler Freitag from Forsan Elementary. Third place winners were Forsan students Peyton Kinsey, Natilee Ellis, and Mattie Morningstar. Emma Columbus of Forsan Elementary received an Honorable Mention.
The posters by Brenley Cline, Adalynn Bollier, Adeline Burnam, Farhlei Iang, Laila Petrowski, and Brantley
Everett will be judged against entries from approximately 51 other conservation districts. Winners of the Area competition are usually announced in late March or early April with the winners invited to a special banquet in their honor in Wall, TX, in May. Local winners will be receiving special ribbons and awards according to their placement later this month.
Howard Soil and Water expresses its great appreciation to teachers Ms. Sherrlyn Welch and Mrs. Whitney Gressett of Forsan Elementary, Mrs. Gina Orosco of Coahoma and Mrs. Candida Whitehead of Washington Elementary for their support and encouragement that they provided in helping their students realized the importance of water and all natural resources. Without their dedication our students would not reach the understanding that we must care for our planet and each other.
Along with the poster entries the Howard Soil and Water Conservation District chose to highlight the great works accomplished by the Keep Big Spring Beautiful organization. The HSWCD nominated this organization and its dedicated members as its “Friend of Conservation 2023” nominee. This nomination honors special groups, organizations, or agriculture producers who go above and beyond to conserve and protect our natural resources. Just as the poster contest winners will be announce in late March early April this award will be announced at the same time.
Our nomination of the Big Spring Herald in 2018 won Area and we are hoping success for this year's nomination.