Amelia Meyer of Selbyville wins 2018 Arbor Day Poster Contest

The Delaware Forest Service has announced that Amelia Meyer, a fifth-grader at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville, won the 2018 Arbor Day School Poster Contest. Meyer’s was one of more than 3,200 entries by students in 43 classes from around the First State. This year’s theme was Trees Are Terrific ... and Perfect for Pollinators, chosen to highlight the important role of trees in the health of pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

The annual contest is open for kindergarten to fifth-grade students in all Delaware public, private, charter and home schools. Winners were selected from each county in each grade category: K, 1-2, 3-4, and 5. Posters were evaluated on originality, use of theme, neatness and artistic expression.

Southern Delaware School of the Arts student Samantha Geidel was the Sussex County winner for grades 3-4, and Yojana Garcia-Lopez from Mispillion Elementary, Milford, was the Sussex County winner for grades 1-2. Michael Foracre from Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary, Laurel, was the Sussex County winner for kindergarten.

Winners will receive their awards from Gov. John Carney at the Delaware Forest Service Arbor Day Ceremony Friday, May 4, in Dover. Each winner receives a tree-themed book and a print reproduction of their poster on fine art canvas. Thanks to corporate sponsor Delmarva Power, a free tree-planting ceremony will be held at each winner’s school. In addition, every participating classroom receives free pine seedlings for all participants. Once again this year, students from Middletown High School FFA Chapter and senior volunteers from the Modern Maturity Center in Dover are wrapping thousands of seedlings to distribute to schoolchildren statewide.