LENRD announces winners of Conservation Poster Contest

“Life in the Soil – Dig Deeper” was this year’s theme of the annual Conservation Poster Contest sponsored by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD).  Approximately 127 K-12th grade students participated in the contest.  Layers of soil with earthworms, plant roots, and animal burrows were some of the examples shown in the winning posters, created by students from across the LENRD’s 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.

The following winners will receive special recognition from the LENRD:

Grades K-1     

1) Gage Anderson                                            St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

2) Connor Pojar                                                St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

3) Madison Blaha                                              St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

Grades 2-3

1) Emma Ortmeier                                           St. Wenceslaus, Dodge 

2) Lauren Hegemann                                      St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

3) Elijah Killham                                                St. Francis, Humphrey

Grades 4-6

1) Colten Melcher                                            St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

2) Britlee Wragge                                            St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

3) Bree Pojar                                                    St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

Grades 7-9

1) Brittany Borchers                                        St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

2) Tylar Humphrey                                          St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

3) Sophie Humphrey                                      St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

Grades 10-12

1) Brooklyn Bailey                                           Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

2) Marribelle Garlick                                       Norfolk High School

3) Isabella Steskal                                           Norfolk High School

The first place posters in each category were sent on to the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) in Lincoln for the State Competition.

The NARD recently announced that the LENRD has 2 winners at the State level this year.

Students winning in the State competition include:

·         Grades 4-6: Colten Melcher, Battle Creek, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD)

·         Grades 10-12: Brooklyn Bailey, West Point, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD)

These students will also receive special recognition from the NARD in Lincoln.  The posters created by Melcher and Bailey will be sent on to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National competition in February 2020.

“We have had some great posters submitted over the years from across our district.  The poster contest is a fun way to help students connect with the world around them and to use the theme to focus on things they can see and hear in their own backyard,” said Julie Wragge, LENRD Information & Education Specialist. “Congratulations to all the students who participated this year.”

The 2020 poster theme is “Where would we BEE without pollinators?” For more information on the poster contest, contact Julie Wragge, at jwragge@lenrd.org or 402-371-7313.

Grades K-1 - First Place: Gage Anderson, St. Wenceslaus School, Dodge

Grades 2-3 - First Place: Emma Ortmeier, St. Wenceslaus School, Dodge

Grades 4-6 - First Place: Colten Melcher, St. John School, Battle Creek. State winner & National finalist!

Grades 7-9 - First Place: Brittany Borchers, St. John School, Battle Creek

Grades 10-12 - First Place: Brooklyn Bailey, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point. State winner & National finalist!