Arbor Day poster deadline is March 7

RBC — The National Arbor Day Foundation, Colorado Tree Coalition and Toyota invite all fifth-grade students in Colorado to showcase their artistic talents by creating posters for the 2008 National Arbor Day Poster Contest. This year’s theme is “Trees are Terrific — inside and out!” The deadline to submit posters is March 7.
Colorado teachers and homeschoolers with fifth-graders can sign up for the contest by contacting Donna Davis, contest coordinator for Colorado, at dodavis@lamar .colostate.edu or (719) 384-9087. Participating teachers will receive free ecosystem materials, including in-depth lesson plans, hands-on activities and contest information. The activities help increase students’ knowledge about the way trees grow and function and correlate with national science and art standards.
After completing in-school activities, students from Colorado will be eligible to participate in a statewide poster competition. Each school’s winning poster will be displayed at the Colorado state capitol building. The Colorado state winner will receive local recognition and prizes through the Colorado Tree Coalition and will be a finalist in the national competition.
National winners will be announced on National Arbor Day, April 25. The first place winner, two parents and the teacher of the winning student will receive an expense-paid trip to Nebraska City, Neb., home of Arbor Day, where they will stay at Lied Lodge and Conference Center during National Awards Weekend, April 25-27.
In addition, this winner will receive a $1,000 savings bond and lifetime membership in the National Arbor Day Foundation. The winning teacher will receive $200 for classroom materials.
The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to tree planting and environmental stewardship.
Visit www.arborday.org for more information about the contest, online learning opportunities and other educational materials.
The Colorado Tree Coalition mission is to preserve, renew and enhance the health of Colorado’s community trees. Visit www.coloradotrees.org for more information.