Shields students recognized at Coast Day 2013

Fifth-grade students are invited each year to participate in a Coast Day sponsored writing contest. This year was no exception with students sharing their knowledge of storm resiliency.

They were asked to describe what they have learned in the months since Hurricane Sandy and to describe how they could best prepare for future coastal hazards such as hurricanes, flooding and sea level rise.

Shields fifth-graders were honored with five finalists in the top 16 essays statewide. Ryan Burke won third place and fellow classmates Martha Billups, Ty’uan Dunning, Riley Keen and Sammie Price were all finalists.

First- and second-place were awarded to Xavier Hines and Olivia Sheetz of St. Ann School in Wilmington. The winning students and their teachers, Marilyn Vallejo from St. Ann School and Brandi Townsend from Shields Elementary, were recognized at Coast Day Oct. 6.