The Wisconsin Land+Water Conservation Association hosted its 66th Annual Conservation Conference at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva on March 13-15, 2019. As part of the conference, the Wisconsin Land +Water Youth Education Committee hosted the 62nd Annual Conservation Awareness Poster and Speaking Contests where Association members voted on student posters and volunteers from County Land Conservation Departments (LCDs) and members of the Youth Education Committee judged the speaking contest.

The conservation awareness poster and speaking contests are two of the many programs that our Youth Education committee coordinates to educate and inspire Wisconsin’s youth about the importance of stewardship and caring for our natural resources.

View the full press release here »

Poster Contest

For the poster contest, the first place winners in the primary, elementary, middle, junior and senior division will move on to represent Wisconsin at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest held at the NACD annual meeting in 2020. The conservation poster awareness theme this year was "Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper."

1st Place Posters

Poster Contest Winners

Primary Division (Grades K-1)

First place: Adelaide Jessie, Trempealeau County
Second place: Lelina Guzman, Buffalo County
Third place: Adella Jacobs, Dodge County

Elementary Division (Grades 2-3)

First place: Promyse Meagher, Dodge County
Second place: Winston Ogden, Winnebago County
Third place: Naia Sandberg, Trempealeau County

Middle Division (Grades 4-6)

First place: Kelly Vizer, Oconto County
Second place: Selah Drusinski, Burnett County
Third place: Ben Cameron, Dodge County

Junior Division (Grades 7-9)

First place: Kjiersten Kazda, Portage County
Second placec: Parker Arntsen, Sawyer County
Third place: Savanna Charron, Outagamie County

Senior Division (Grades 10-12)

First place: Brooke Webb, Clark County
Second place: Alexia Weber, Dodge County
Third place: Makayla Rodgers, Brown County

Speaking Contest

The first place winning speakers from the elementary, junior and senior divisions presented their award-winning speeches to a crowd of over 370 conservation professionals and guests from across the state at the conference's opening luncheon. Speeches had to address a relevant, soil and water conservation issue, with emphasis on the impact of the issue in their locality or in Wisconsin.

Eric Paulsen, Co-Host of Discover Wisconsin and Host of the speaking contest and Matt Krueger, Executive Director of Wisconsin Land+Water awarded the speaking contest winners with trophies and recognized all of the students who participated across Wisconsin for their outstanding speeches and posters, and their commitment to conservation.

“Starting the conference with the student posters and speeches energized the room by showing the importance and passion for responsible resource management is a part of Wisconsin's ideal today and for generations to come. We are amazed by all of the students' knowledge, passion, and sophistication about these environmental topics as we listen to the speeches and see the artwork on display. Thank you to all the students for your hard work and your commitment to protecting and conserving our natural resources.”

- Matt Krueger

Speaking Contest Winners

ELEMENTARY DIVISION

First place: Ashton Brusveen, Columbia County- "Cover Crops"
Second place: Lily Graham, Trempealeau County- "No Bees, No Food"
Third place: Whitney Myers, Burnett County- "Tiny Spiny in the Lake"

JUNIOR DIVISION

First place: Bailey Weisenbeck, Pepin County "Life Below the Soil"
Second place: Sophia Filipczak, Bayfield County "Asian Jumping Worm"
Third place: Madeline Hensel, Wood County "The Effects of Soil Erosion on Agriculture in Central WI"

SENIOR DIVISION

First place: Ansel Brenneman, Vernon County "Conservation Strategies for Extreme Rainfall Resilience in WI"
Second place: Kate Scraufnagel, Clark County "Paper or Plastic?"
Third place: Carlton Miller, Washburn County "Up the Creek Without a Paddle"

“It's always a pleasure and privilege to emcee this portion of the conference, where the younger generation gets so passionately involved in discussing how to better use and conserve our natural resources. Their knowledge, passion, and dedication to the state's healthy future is so impressive. Their speeches are dynamic and informative, showing a sophistication beyond what many may expect for their years on this planet. But with what they bring to the table, the years ahead for the state and planet look brighter.”

- Erik Paulsen

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