Arbor Day poster contest winners announced

“Plant a Tree, Grow a Future” was this year’s theme for the Wyoming State Arbor Day poster contest which is sponsored by the Wyoming State Forestry Division and Wyoming Project Learning Tree.

Lovell’s fifth-grade students designed and submitted original posters that were judged by Lovell Tree Committee members and representatives from the Town of Lovell and the National Park Service. Before pen met paper, Rangers Zach Hubbard and Christy Fleming spoke to each class about Arbor Day and why trees are important in our communities.

With this information in hand, each student created a poster to depict what they learned based on the theme. The posters were then judged. First, second and third-place winners were chosen in each classroom, and a grand prize winner was selected overall. The Town of Lovell donated prizes for the students.

Mayor Tom Newman proclaimed May 1, 2024, as Arbor Day in Lovell. Lovell Parks Foreman Kelton Wagner read the proclamation at the Arbor Day event at Armory Park.  The poster winners were announced, and the fifth graders planted eight new trees in the park.

Here are this year’s poster contest winners:

Grand prize winner

Elizabeth Procopio, Mr. Rasmussen’s Class

Class winners

Mr. Rasmussen’s class -- Olivia Rael, Chloe Asay and Joshlynne Bassett.

Ms. Hendershot’s class -- Emily Sanders, Catherine Zollman and Braxton Layne.

Ms. Rasmussen’s class -- Kylee Morgan, Gemma Walker and MaKynna Mayes.

The grand prize drawing by Elizabeth Procopio was sent to the State Arbor Day Poster Contest to represent Lovell and compete against posters from students across the state of Wyoming.

The state received 800 posters, and Procopio’s poster was selected in the top 10, Fleming said. She will be receiving a certificate of honorable mention from the state, and her poster will be returned.