Sanders wins state honors in annual LES Arbor Day poster contest

Ten talented fifth graders from Lovell Elementary School were honored for their artistic work and their love of trees during the annual Lovell Arbor Day celebration and tree planting Wednesday, May 6, at the Lovell Community Center.

The students, winners of the annual Arbor Day poster contest at LES, were presented prizes in a ceremony conducted by Bighorn Canyon Interpretation and Education Manager Christy Fleming and Park Service ranger Jenna Schauer, with support from Town of Lovell Parks Director Kelton Wagner, who read a proclamation from Mayor Tom Newman declaring May 6 as Arbor Day in Lovell.

The theme of this year’s contest was The Superpowers of Trees, and the contest was sponsored by the Wyoming State Forestry Division and Wyoming Project Learning Tree. The students created and submitted original posters that were judged by tree board members and representatives from the Town of Lovell and National Park Service. Ranger Schauer spoke to each class about Arbor Day and why trees are important in the community.

Third-place winners were Eina Olsen, Junior Garcia and Miles Baxendale. Second-place winners were Lillyan Hansen, Jaylee Davila and Athena Grant.

First-place poster contest winners were Payton Clark, Madelyn Craw and Clara Sanders, and the grand prize winner was Mallory Sanders. Prizes were sponsored by the Town of Lovell, which has conducted the Arbor Day contest and tree planting for many years through the Tree City USA program.

Mallory Sanders’ grand prize poster was submitted to the state Arbor Day poster contest, and after being judged against more than 1,000 entries, her poster was selected second place overall. She was honored at the Wyoming State Arbor Day event in Cheyenne on May 4, where she received a plaque and her poster for display in a professional frame.

Following the poster contest presentation, fifth-grade students fanned out into the community center grounds to help plant juniper bushes as part of the ongoing landscaping efforts by the Town of Lovell.