Forest Service sets 2015 Arbor Day school poster contest
The Delaware Forest Service is holding its annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest and Free Seedling Program, open to all Delaware students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Public, private and home schools are encouraged to participate, and posters are welcome from after-school groups and youth organizations.
This year’s contest theme is Trees are Terrific… Inside and Out. To participate, teachers must register their classes by Friday, March 13 and submit posters by the deadline of Friday, March 27. As in previous years, classes that participate can also request free pine seedlings on a first-come, first-served basis.
This year’s theme is designed to teach students about the structural components of trees and how they help a tree function. This lesson can be adapted for different grades and makes an excellent addition to the K-5 science curriculum. The poster contest is also an important way for students to learn more about the role trees play in community health and well-being and can help students foster an appreciation for the natural world around them. The Delaware Forest Service will provide all participating classes with free loblolly pine seedlings. The web link for contest registration is 2015arbordaycontest.eventbrite.com.
In 2014, more than 105 classes from 41 private, public, and home schools, and youth groups participated in the annual contest, and winners were honored at the state’s Arbor Day Ceremony at McIlvaine Early Childhood Center in Magnolia. Also last year, more than 3,500 seedlings were distributed to students through the annual Free Seedling Program. Senior volunteers from the Modern Maturity Center’s RSVP Program in Dover wrapped tree seedlings for distribution. Classrooms must participate in the Arbor Day Poster Contest to be eligible for free seedlings and tree programs. Delaware Forest Service staff delivered the seedlings to public and private schools statewide.
Entries should be mailed or delivered to Ashley Peebles, Contest Coordinator, Delaware Forest Service, 2320 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. For details, call 302-698-4551 or email ashley.peebles@state.de.us.
