ANNUAL CONTEST

Each year students in grades 3-8 from Scituate, Foster, Glocester and Western Johnston public schools create posters with a water quality protection theme. The winner for each school wins his/her class a pizza party. Then one winner is chosen from the 3rd-5th grade category, and the 6th-8th grade category. These posters are then submitted to a national contest sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts. Up to 1500 students are eligible to participate in the poster contest.

The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program would like to proudly announce the Grand Prize Winners of our 14th annual poster contest, Wonderful World of Wetlands: Casey Northup and Emily Grande. Judges were invited to critique the posters from the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, Providence Water, and the RI Department of Environmental Management. The judges rate the posters on how effectively they conveyed the conservation message, both in writing and visually, as well as the originality of the poster.

Grand Prize Winner: Middle School Division CASEY NORTHUP Casey is a 6th grader at Scituate Middle School and this is his second winning entry for his years of participation! His poster reinforces the value of wetlands for flood mitigation. Wetlands may temporarily store flood water and slowly release it over time which diffuses large storm flows. Excellent work, Casey!	Grand Prize Winner: Elementary Division EMILY GRANDE Emily is a 3rd grade student at North Scituate Elementary School. Emily is well versed in wetland habitat and services. Through colorful illustration, her poster reminds of much of the local wetland wildlife in addition to providing one sentence lessons about the importance of wetlands. Beautifully done, Emily!

Students in grades 3-8, in the towns of Scituate, Glocester, and Foster submitted poster entries that creatively illustrated the following: 1) actions we can take as individuals to conserve wetlands; 2) the value of protecting wetlands; 3) and/or the services that wetlands provide to our communities. Many people associate wetlands with swamps, bogs, coastal estuaries, etc. In northern RI, we usually experience wetlands as forested wetlands or an area of land that has vernal pools in the winter and spring. Wetlands provide vital habitat for much of our wildlife and are important to the sustainability and health of our community. Wetlands help to control flooding, protect water quality, prevent erosion, trap sediment, and provide critical habitat and spawning grounds for much of our wildlife.

Teachers throughout the watershed were provided with information about the topic to better assist their students in creating their posters. Our two grand prize winners, Casey Northup and Emily Grande, most effectively expressed a conservation message about wetlands in an original poster complemented by wonderful imagery.

Casey Northup, Grand Prize winner for the middle school division created a poster titled, "Do you want a flood? Don't think so." Pertinent to recent events, Casey touched on the value of wetlands in controlling and slowing the flow of stormwater runoff. His poster encourages us to conserve wetlands as natural habitat by choosing not to install sheds, playgrounds, or other structures in wetland areas. By doing so, wetlands can function more effectively and mitigate large stormwater flows. Powerful and effective, Casey's poster inspires us to conserve local wetlands.

Emily Grande, Grand Prize winner for the Elementary School division, created a poster titled, "Its Time! Wetlands are Yours and Mine!" Our wetland friends, the short-eared owl, painted turtle, and other critters exclaim mini-lessons about the Wetlands. "Wetlands clean our water!" "Wetlands provide natural habitat!" This poster's sentiment, reminds us that it is the community's responsibility, not just the individual, to protect wetlands and the animals that live there. Aesthetically pleasing and informative, this poster has it all.

In total, 14 posters for the various participating schools were recognized as school winners or honorable mention. All posters notable posters will be featured in a 2011 calendar about wetlands that will be distributed to the community. The following schools received recognition for their students entries:

• North Scituate Elementary School—Grand Prize/School Winner: Emily Grande (3rd grade). Both Christopher St. Pierre (3rd) and Nolan Jolicoeur (3rd) received honorable mention.
• Fogarty Memorial Elementary School—School Winner: Madison Albanese (4th). Honorable Mention: Sabrina Lee (4th).
• Clayville Elementary School—School Winner: Bailey Burke (4th)
• Hope Elementary School—School Winner: Amelia Castelli (5th). Honorable Mention: Sydney Austin (3rd).
• West Glocester Elementary School—School Winner: Jenise Karmozyn (4th). Honorable Mention: Evan Hallberg (4th)
• Captain Isaac Paine School—School Winner: Charlotte LoPiccolo (3rd)
• Scituate Middle School—Grand Prize/School Winner: Casey Northup (6th); Honorable Mention: Danielle Marsella (6th) and Branden Baccaire (6th).

The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program is funded by Providence Water and implemented by the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District. For more information on the program and how you can help protect water quality go to www.landwaterconnection.org or call the Northern RI Conservation District at (401)949-1480.