The Youth Education Committee hosted its 66th Annual State Conservation Awareness Poster & Speaking Contests at our 70th Annual Conference, held in-person at the Wisconsin Dells.


POSTER CONTEST


The conservation poster awareness theme this year was One Water. Those registered for the conference were allowed to vote for the winning posters prior to the start of the conference.

For the poster contest, the first-place winner in the primary, elementary, middle, junior, and senior divisions will move on to represent Wisconsin at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest held at the NACD annual meeting in 2024.

First Place Winners

Poster Contest Results

Primary Division (Grades K-1)

First Place: Bonnie Strabel, Douglas County
Second Place: Ellie Tomaszewski, Vilas County
Third Place: Paxton Marth, Crawford County

Elementary Division (Grades 2-3)

First Place: Tulip Ghorai, Washington County
Second Place: Madeline McNelly, Portage County
Third Place: Quinn Meverden, Shawano County.

Middle Division (Grades 4-6)

First Place: Pearl Carriveau, Portage County
Second Place: Pearl Hillary, Green County
Third Place: Addie Thonos, Fond du Lac County

Junior Division (Grades 7-9)

First Place: Mairead Kavanaugh, Green Lake County
Second Place: Lily Berg, Monroe County
Third Place: Khole Kennedy, Ashland County

Senior Division (Grades 10-12)

First Place: Norah Johnstone, Washington County
Second Place: Sophia Roth, Green County
Third Place: Brooke Froemel, Sawyer County

SPEAKING CONTEST

The first-place winning speakers from the elementary, junior and senior divisions presented their speeches to a crowd of close to 500 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.

Area speaking contest winners presented their speeches to a panel of judges during the Annual Conference in the Wisconsin Dells.

First Place Winners

Speaking Contest Results

Elementary Division

First place: Adisyn Schoeneck, Oneida County, “The Living Fossil”
Second place: Katie Butman, Trempealeau County, “Erosion Got Big”
Third place: Maeve Hasselquist, Pierce County, “Wild Parsnip"

Junior Division

First place: Katelyn McNelly, Portage County, “Is Solar Power a Good Conservation Tool?”
Second place: Briella Brusveen, Columbia County, “Generational Conservation in Agriculture”
Third Place: Lucy Hoyt, Pepin County, “Use of Invasive Minnows’ Impact on Water Quality”

Senior Division

First place: Amber Higley, Vilas County, “You Might Like These Fleas”
Second place: Charlie Thompson, Trempealeau County, “Runoff’s Impact on Soil Health and Agricultural Productivity”
Third place: Ava Wagner, Marquette County, “The Effect of Farm Runoff”

“I was gratified and inspired to see and hear the talented youth of Wisconsin give voice to the lands and waters of our state. Thank you to all the participating youth for sharing your words and artwork under the critical theme of ‘One Water!'”

- Amy Workman, Upham Woods Outdoor Learn Center Director