June 13, 2014 at 3:30 p.m.
Awards presented to AIS poster contest winners
Awards presented to AIS poster contest winners
By Kayla Thomason-
Sudents competed in three divisions - fourth through fifth grade, sixth through seventh grade, and eighth grade.
There were 15 classes from 12 schools represented and 198 posters were submitted.
"We've been increasing each year and this year we're really happy we've had multiple counties and multiple classrooms participate," said Michele Sadauskas, aquatic invasive species coordinator for Oneida County.
Counties that participated included Ashland, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Price, Oneida and Vilas.
In its first year the contest was limited to Oneida County to see how it took with the teachers and students.
"It's been growing each year so we're really happy with it," Sadauskas said.
Carleene Morien, a sixth grader at James Williams Middle School, won her division. This is her second time competing in the AIS poster contest. It took her a week to finish her poster.
"[My poster] said AIS and the 'I' was faded because milfoil was taking over and it looked pretty good," Morien said. "I had all these good ideas and I wanted to combine some of them together and that is how I created that big idea."
She was really surprised to find out she won, but Sadauskas was not.
"I know the judges, when they immediately saw it they were really attracted to it - not only the message but the color - just the intensity of it," Sadauskas said. "She really knew what she was talking about and was able to portray that as well to the judges so it was an eye-catching experience for them."
Winners received medals and each first-place student won an ice cream party for their class as well as "Field Guide to Wisconsin Streams: Plants, Fishes, Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles," which was donated to their school's library.
Those who received honorable mention earned a ribbon.
First through third-place winners, respectively, for the fourth-through-fifth grade division were Reagan Hartman of Central Intermediate School (fourth grade), Elise Tesch of Central Intermediate School (fourth grade), and Jeanna Lindquist of Mellen School District (fifth grade).
Winners for the sixth through seventh grade division were all sixth graders. The first place winner was Carleene Morien of JWMS.
"It's really great to see our youth really get involved with aquatic invasive species and to really know what they're seeing and know how important our lakes and rivers and wetland are in Oneida County," Sadauskas said.
Winning posters will be taken to various libraries throughout the counties to be featured for the month of June, which is Invasive Species Awareness Month.
If a student wants their poster back it can be arranged for them to receive a digital copy.
The Oneida County Land & Water Conservation Department (LWCD) and Lumberjack Resource Conservation Development Council, in partnership with Ashland, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Price, and Vilas County conservation departments, offer the AIS Poster Contest in an attempt to raise awareness and interest in aquatic invasive species.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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