This year's Arbor Day Student Art and Essay Contest winners have been announced by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.
They are:
*3rd Grade Art Award Recipients:
1st Place: Chloe Scarlett, Enota Elementary
Runner Up: Cameron Rich, Sardis Enrichment School
Runner Up: Geraldinee Arellano, McEver Arts Academy
*5th Grade Essay Award Recipients
1st Place: Riley Collins, Riverbend Elementary (Copy of essay is posted below)
Runner Up: Molly Williams, Enota Elementary
Runner Up: Clare Gaddy, Enota Elementary
There were more than 100 entries this year. This year's theme was "I Speak for the Trees."
The annual Arbor Day Celebration will be held Friday, February 15 at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta Botanical Garden Gainesville. Open to the public, the event is coordinated by the Greater Hall Chamber and sponsored by the Hall County Master Gardeners, Keep Hall Beautiful and Georgia Power. Festivities include student contest recognition and a joint city/county proclamation with Tree City USA recognition.
*Winning Essay Contest entry:
"Arbor Day is a very important holiday to celebrate. We plant trees to help the environment. We also plant trees to feed animals and they also absorb harmful gases. Trees are very important to our life style and I will tell you why.
When we plant trees, it helps the environment. When leaves fall off the trees, they decay. When the leaves decay they provide nutrients to the microorganisms in the soil. The leaves keep on falling and decaying and it keeps on providing nutrients for the microorganisms in the soil. That’s why we have such rich soil in farms. It is because of all the trees planted and all the leaves decaying.
When we plant trees, it feeds animals. The animals it feeds are squirrels/chipmunks, deer, crows, moose and elephants. All of those animals either eat acorns or leaves. If the trees aren’t planted every year those wonderful animals could go extinct. Nobody would want these animals to go extinct! That’s why we plant trees every year so they do not.
When we plant trees, they absorb harmful gases. When they absorb the harmful gases, they “breath” oxygen out so we can live. The harmful gases they absorb are sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Those are the gases that trees absorb so that we can live.
Those are the reasons why Arbor Day is so important. They help the soil, feed animals and absorb harmful gases. Now, you should see why Arbor Day is so important."
www.greaterhallchamber.com
