Winners of Conservation Poster Contest announced

“Where would we BEE without Pollinators?” was the theme for this year’s Stewardship Week and Poster Contest sponsored by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD).

Pollinators form the foundations of a healthy and sustainable future for food and the environment, but in recent years, they have shown concerning signs of decline. It’s important that we work to help them prosper by enhancing native pollinator habitats and protecting against pollinator declines.

Over 100 K-12th grade students participated in the contest.  Buzzing bees and butterflies were some of the examples shown in the winning posters, created by students from across the Lower Elkhorn NRD’s 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.

The following winners will receive special recognition from the Lower Elkhorn NRD:

Grades K-1     

1) Carson Gerths                                              Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

2) Isabelle Anderson                                       Battle Creek Elementary

3) Abigail Zweep                                             Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary

Grades 2-3

1) Dawson Mackling                                        Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point     

2) Kenna Olmer                                                St. Francis, Humphrey

3) Jesus Vargas                                                St. Mary’s, Wayne

3) Blake Heithold                                              St. Mary’s, Wayne

Grades 4-6

1) Madie Thiele                                                 Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

2) Audrey Praest                                              St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

3) Mariana Nexticapan Hernandez           St. Mary’s, Wayne

Grades 7-9

1) Emerson Ortmeier                                      Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

2) Myranda Hansen                                         Norfolk High School

3) Kali Mangelsen                                            Norfolk High School

Grades 10-12

1) Claire Steskal                                                Norfolk High School

2) Courtney Hintz                                             Norfolk High School

3) Anna Lemus                                                  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 has announced that the Lower Elkhorn NRD has 3 winners at the State level this year.  Students winning in the State competition include:

• Grades K-1:  Carson Gerths, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

• Grades 7-9:  Emerson Ortmeier, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point

• Grades 10-12: Claire Steskal, Norfolk High School

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

“I’m always amazed at the talent we see from the students each year.  This contest is a fun way to help students connect with the world around them and use the theme to focus on things they can see and hear in their own backyard,” said Julie Wragge, LENRD Information & Education Specialist.  She added, “Congratulations to all the participants.  Please enter again next year.”

The 2021 stewardship theme is “Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities”.  For more information on the poster contest, contact Julie Wragge, at jwragge@lenrd.org or 402-371-7313.

First Place - K-1 Grade Division: Carson Gerths, Guardian Angels Central Catholic

First Place - 2-3 Grade Division: Dawson Mackling, Guardian Angels Central Catholic

First Place - 4-6 Grade Division: Madie Thiele, Guardian Angels Central Catholic

First Place - 7-9 Grade Division: Emerson Ortmeier, Guardian Angels Central Catholic

First Place - 10-12 Grade Division: Claire Steskal, Norfolk High School