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.

Grand Prize Winner Middle School Division SOPHIA MANCINELLI Sophia is a 6th grader at Scituate Middle School. Her colorful artistry conveys to the public important factors in protecting water quality while simultaneously reminding us why forestlands are so critical to our communities. Sophia's poster is impressive and educational to all that see it. Wonderful Work, Sophia!	Grand Prize Winner Elementary Division SHANE MARX Shane is a 3rd grader at Captain Isaac Paine. Shane's poster captures the many ways in which trees and woodlands provide for our communities. His simplistic design shows a refined sense of expression and can be used as a fun educational tool for our local community! Good Job, Shane!

The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program would like to proudly announce the Grand Prize Winners of our 15th annual poster contest, Forests, A Working World in Your Backyard: Sophia Mancinelli and Shane Marx.

Judges were invited to critique the posters from the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, Providence Water, RI Department of Environmental Management, and RI Forest Conservators Organization in addition to local artist Sal Mancini. The judges rated the posters on how effectively they conveyed the conservation message, both in writing and visually, as well as the originality of the poster. Students in grades 3-8, in the towns of Scituate, Glocester, and Foster submitted poster entries that creatively illustrated the following: 1) Forests provide clean water and/or other benefits to the community; and/or 2) Forestry management enhances forestry productivity and/or protects forest ecosystems; and/or 3) The inter-relationship between forests and people.

Forests provide human, animal, and plant communities with many products and services without which would compromise the survival of both productive forest and the biotic community at large. These ecosystem services include stormwater or flood control, clean air, climate control, habitat, recreation and enjoyment, and of course, clean water. The Scituate Reservoir is the main drinking water source for the state providing over 60% of our population with clean drinking water. Thanks to the forests that surround the reservoir and the private woodlots of many of Watershed residents, we can proudly say that we have the second best drinking water quality in the country (for a utility that serves more than 250,000 people). Our poster contest theme was designed to educate students about the importance of forest worldwide and at home.

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, Sophia Mancinelli and Shane Marx, most effectively expressed a conservation message about forests in an original poster complemented by wonderful imagery.

This year we received and overwhelming response with over 125 posters submitted! We were so impressed with this year's posters that we did our best to recognize as many as possible. In total, 20 posters from the various participating schools will be recognized in our 2012 calendar or in a billboard display located on Rt-6 near the Village IGA on the Scituate/Johnston line. Every year, we distribute nearly 1,000 calendars throughout the community that feature these winners. Through the calendar, these students are able to educate their community about the Working World of Forests and inspire citizens to be good stewards of the watershed. The following schools received recognition for their students' entries:

Captain Isaac Paine School

Grand Prize/School Winner Shane Marx (3rd)	Honorable Mention Amanda Paulhaus (3rd)

North Scituate Elementary School

School Winner Max Pierce (4th)

Honorable Mention (Quotes)

"A nice day equals a nice walk in the woods."
Bria Carpentier, 3rd Grade

"Forests are our natural air fresheners…and the nice thing about trees is that you don't need to plug them into the wall."
Samuel Sotter, 3rd Grade

"Selective Cutting is...Cutting with a Conscience!"
Benjamin Fontes, 3rd Grade

"Diverse the Forest. Forests need different types of trees, habitats, and nutrients to grow and survive."
Samuel Grigelevich, 3rd Grade

Fogarty Memorial Elementary School

School Winner Hannah Duncan (4th)	Honorable Mention Matthew Ferreira

Honorable Mention (Quote)

"Save the Forests...because the forest is like a filter to our homes, because when it rains the water goes underground
and gets cleaner, and cleaner. Then, it goes into our wells. So don't pour harmful liquids on our land!"
Brianna Parenteau, 4th Grade

Clayville Elementary School

School Winner Grace Buscher (4th)

Hope Elementary School

School Winner Valerie Zammarelli (4th)

West Glocester Elementary School

School Winner Emily Veresko (4th)

Scituate Middle School

Grand Prize/School Winner Sophia Mancinelli (6th)	Honorable Mention Caitlyn Nicholson (6th)
Honorable Mention Brittany Shippee (6th)	Honorable Mention Mackenzie McCann (6th)
Honorable Mention Joelle Medici (6th)	Honorable Mention Allison George (6th)

On Tuesday May 3, 2011 these students will be recognized for their work at the Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program's Annual Water Festival, a private event to be held at Camp Aldersgate. Chief Engineer/General Manager of Providence Water, Pam Marchand, will recognize the Grand Prize Winners and thank all the students and teachers whose efforts help to protect water quality and educate the public. Grand Prize Winners will also receive a t-shirt with their winning graphic, a plaque of recognition, and the school winner prize which includes a pizza party for their classroom.

To learn more about our program, join us for an open house on Wednesday May 25th from 3:00 pm—6:00 pm at the District Office located at 2283 Hartford Ave in Johnston. Winning and honorable mention posters will be on display in addition to winning photographs from our first annual photography contest for high school aged students in the watershed.

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)934-0840.