Madison, WI— The Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WI Land+Water) brought together some of Wisconsin's most passionate young conservation advocates for the 69th Annual Conservation Awareness Poster and Speaking Contests. The contests celebrate students from across the state who are turning their commitment to Wisconsin's land and water into action through research, art, and public speaking.

The poster contest drew entries from students across five age divisions, each competing under this year's theme: "Soil. Where It All Begins.” Students were challenged to illustrate the importance of healthy soil in supporting wildlife and ecosystems, and the results reflected just how creatively Wisconsin's youth can communicate a conservation message. Posters that advanced from local contests were displayed at WI Land+Water’s Annual Conference, where attendees voted for the entries that best captured that message.

First-place winners from each division move on to represent Wisconsin at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest at the NACD Annual Meeting. This year, WI Land+Water had special reason to celebrate on the national stage. Claire Miller, Pierce County, earned second place in the Grades 7–9 division at the 2025 NACD National Poster Contest, announced at NACD's 80th Annual Meeting.

The speaking contest brought 13 students to the state level, each having first placed at their local competition, to compete in Elementary, Junior, and Senior divisions. These students present research-driven speeches on pressing conservation topics that are relevant to their local communities. The students compete in the morning, and the first-place winners present their speeches again to a crowd of nearly 500 conservation professionals. 

This year's contest was emceed by Thelma Heidel-Baker, a soil conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in West Bend and owner of Bossie Cow Farm, a diversified organic dairy in southeast Wisconsin. With a PhD in entomology and a career spanning academia, nonprofit work, and federal conservation service, Heidel-Baker helped show the real-world importance of conservation.

"These students don't just understand conservation issues, they're ready to speak up about them,” said Kim Warkentin, WI Land+Water Youth Education Director. "Watching them take the stage and speak with such confidence about the natural resources challenges and possible solutions for our land and water is exactly what this contest is meant to inspire.”

The Conservation Awareness Poster and Speaking Contests are two of the many programs that WI Land+Water’s Youth Education Committee coordinates to educate and inspire Wisconsin’s youth about the importance of stewardship and caring for our natural resources. To learn more about these programs, visit: wisconsinlandwater.org/youtheducation. 

The 2026 winners are: 

POSTER CONTEST RESULTS

Primary Division: (Grades K-1): 

• 1st Place: Naomi Thompson, Sauk County
• 2nd Place:  Lennon Durie, Shawano County
• 3rd Place: Haven Quade, Green Lake County

Elementary Division: (Grades 2-3): 

• 1st Place: Karsyn Krause, Shawano County
• 2nd Place:  Millie Kammerud, Lafayette County
• 3rd Place: Alex Granger, Ashland County

Middle Division: (Grades 4-6): 

• 1st Place: Delaney Darton, Vilas County
• 2nd Place:  Noelle Granger, Ashland County

• 3rd Place: Stella Secrist, Buffalo County

   

Junior Division: (Grades 7-9): 

• 1st Place: Claire Miller, Pierce County
• 2nd Place:  Sierra Brantner, Monroe County
• 3rd Place: Pearl Hillary, Green County 

Senior Division: (Grades 10-12): 

• 1st Place: Carley Laubscher, Juneau County
• 2nd Place:  Brianna Adkins, Shawano County
• 3rd Place: Brynn Smiskey, Dunn County

SPEAKING CONTEST RESULTS:

Elementary Division: (Grades 5-6)

• 1st Place: Ainsley Pitlik, Oneida County, “Surf Smart: Protecting Wisconsin Waters”
• 2nd Place: Samuel Draper, Washburn County, “Shoreline Buffers”
• 3rd Place: Henrietta Fitterer, Trempealeau County, “Why Didn’t the Chicken Cross the Road?”

Junior Division: (Grades 7-8)

• 1st Place: Sutton Pitlik, Oneida County, “Ugghh! Plastic”
• 2nd Place: Isabelle Bergmann, Pepin County, “Rusty Patched Bumble Bee”
• 3rd Place: Ava Kildow, Washburn County, “Wake Boats” 

Senior Division: (Grades 9-12)

• 1st Place: Leah Gorsuch, Sauk County, “The Ground We Stand”
• 2nd Place: Ethan Rackouski, Sawyer County, “Pesticide in Our Land” 

To view the photos of the winning posters and watching the winning speeches, visit: https://wisconsinlandwater.org/our-work/youth-education/poster-speaking-contest/2026-contest-results