Five Franklin County elementary schools recently participated in the Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Poster Contest sponsored by the Franklin County Garden Club.

Posters were to depict either Smokey Bear with the theme “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires!” or Woodsy Owl and the theme “Lend a Hand – Care for the Land.”

The contest has been conducted each year since 1961 and is part of a partnership between the National Garden Clubs Inc. and the U.S. Forest Service to help raise awareness and understanding of our natural environment and the need to protect and sustain it.

The contest is open to any children in grades 1-5 as well as Scout troops, afterschool programs and others. 

This year, 255 students from five schools submitted posters for the contest in December.  The five schools were Clark Memorial Elementary School, Decherd Elementary School, North Lake Elementary School, Broadview Elementary School and Huntland School.

First-, second- and third-place winners were chosen for each grade with winners receiving gift bags containing items from the US Forest Service such as coloring books, bracelets, stickers, rulers and pencils.  Participants also received certificates of appreciation.

A selection of posters are on display at the Franklin County Library.  

Four of the schools held assemblies where Smokey Bear made an appearance to congratulate the students on their achievements and to spread the word about fire safety. Special guests at the North Lake Assembly, in addition to Smokey, included Phyllis Allen, District I director; Tennessee Smokey Bear Poster Chairman Denise Thorne, president-elect for the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs; Bobbie Wolcott, District II director; and Lola Eslick, Franklin County Garden Club president.

Also present from the Franklin County Garden Club were G.G. Preble, vice president; Betsy Craig, vice president; Karen Rizzuti, Smokey Bear lead; Faye Kohler; Lois Brown; and Karen Tice, treasurer. 

Rangers from the Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division Bob Nunley, Russel Taylor, Geron Brewer, and Skyler Meeks participated in the assemblies.

“They did an excellent job of spreading the message to the students about fire safety and caring for the land, as well as bringing Smokey along to greet the kids at all the assemblies,” Eslick said. 

Garden Club members selected one winner from each grade to move forward to the state competition.  State winners will advance to the regional level and finally to the national level for judging.  Winners selected for the next level of competition will be announced in March. 

The winners from each grade were Brendan Fitzpatrick from Decherd Elementary, first grade; Nishtha Patel from Decherd Elementary, second gradel; Jonathan Perez from Huntland School, third grade; Jentri Fanning from Huntland School, fourth grade; and Brylee Moorehead, Huntland School, fifth grade.

“Thank you to all the students for participating and to their teachers and the school administrators for their encouragement,” Eslick said.  

The Franklin County Garden Club will spin up the local contest again in the fall.  Students will have a chance to submit their artwork and compete for the national grand prize which is a free trip to Washington, DC, with roundtrip airfare and accommodations for four as well as attendance at a recognition ceremony and a $50 check. 

For more information, visit the U.S. Forest Service website at fs.usda.gov/learn/kids or contact Eslick at eslickla@icloud.com.