Illinois EPA Celebrates Earth Day Recognizing Top Winners and Finalists in Agency's Annual Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest

SPRINGFIELD — In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John J. Kim today celebrates the creativity and hard work of fifth and sixth grade students selected for their artistic and writing skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of the Agency's 33rd Annual Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest. The students were selected from works submitted by students throughout Illinois.

Each year, fifth and sixth grade students in Illinois take part in the Poster, Poetry and Prose contest as part of the Agency's Environmental Education initiative. Through the program, participating schools study environmental concepts with an emphasis on the current year's environmental theme. Many teachers round out the classroom program by having the students create posters or poetry/prose works to illustrate what they have learned and submit these to the Agency. Each participating school is eligible to select four works in each category to submit for competitive judging. This year's theme, Algae: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly...How Can You Keep Your Local Pond Healthy? focused on understanding how algae affect waterbodies in both good and bad ways, and learning how to prevent nutrient runoff to help maintain healthy water ecosystems.

Educators were asked to incorporate Illinois EPA's newly created Environmental Pathways: Why is the Pond Green? unit into their classroom curricula that is available free online at: https://pathways.mste.illinois.edu/. Students learned how algae can be good and bad in the aquatic environment and why it is important to reduce nonpoint source pollution in our waterways to prevent the negative effects of too much algae. This curriculum unit is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards.

"In celebration of Earth Day, we want to recognize these students who are poised to make a difference in their communities," said Director Kim.  "These students did a great job demonstrated the knowledge they gained through their works of art and writing. We are excited to see our Environmental Pathways program explored by so many schools and look forward to classrooms utilizing our newly released STEM curriculum in years to come."

2020 Poetry/Prose Top Award Winners

Sydney Ahler
St. Giles School, Oak Park

Sophia Dai
Willows Academy, Des Plaines

Karolina Kyrych
St. Monica Academy, Chicago

Jamie Laskiewicz
St. Emily's Catholic School, Mt. Prospect

Wendy Patricio
Gemini Middle School, Niles

Paul Wawczak
St. Giles School, Oak Park 

Posters Top Award Winners

Noura Kazzo
Gemini Middle School, Niles

Timothy Laskiewicz
St. Emily's Catholic School, Mt. Prospect

Gavin Magnine
St. Monica Academy, Chicago

Lilia Ransford
Gemini Middle School, Niles

Luke Reale
St. Giles School, Oak Park

Chelsea Waiters
Calvin Christian School, South Holland

A panel of representatives from the Illinois EPA judged all entries and selected the finalists, whose entries were then judged by an outside panel of authorities, to determine the top 12 winners. Student awards were mailed to the schools, where the top 12 and honorable mention winners received environmental reference books for their school libraries. The winners, along with all finalists, also received certificates and ribbons for their creative efforts.

A complete list of winners by school is attached, and is available by category on the Illinois EPA website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/education/contest/Pages/default.aspx.

Information about the annual event can be obtained by contacting Kristi Morris, Environmental Education Coordinator for the Illinois EPA at 1021 North Grand Avenue East, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, IL, 62794-9276, or Kristi.Morris@Illinois.gov.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
2020 Poster, Poetry and Prose Winners (by School)

Calvin Christian School, South Holland
Chelsea Waiters, Top Award Winner - Posters
Brielle McClellan, Special Recognition-Posters
Kihra Moes, Special Recognition-Posters

Carriers of Light, Wheaton
Zainab Gheith, Special Recognition-Posters
Hamzah Mohammed, Special Recognition-Posters
Ismaiel Mohammed, Special Recognition-Posters
Umar Mohammed, Special Recognition-Posters

Cumberland Middle School, Toledo
Stevi Nichols, Special Recognition-Posters
Wyatt Scales, Special Recognition-Posters
Isaac Venatta, Special Recognition-Posters

East Lake Academy, Lake Forest
Neela Gupta, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Val Lopera, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Camilo van Lieshout, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

Fearn Elementary, North Aurora
Cameron Smith, Honorable Mention-Posters
Kristen Catich, Special Recognition-Posters

Gemini Middle School, Niles
Noura Kazzo, Top Award Winner - Posters
Wendy Patricio, Top Award Winner - Poetry/Prose
Lilia Ransford, Top Award Winner - Posters
Sky Hana, Honorable Mention-Posters
Shaan Kannampallil, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose
Harishree Mehta, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

Hoover Math and Science Academy, Schaumburg
Syed Azhar Ahmed, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose

Jefferson Elementary, Charleston
Brianna Miller, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose
Avery Beals, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Arabella Combs, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Addison Daugherty, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Dane Hutchcraft, Special Recognition-Posters
Alyssa Johnson, Special Recognition-Posters
Graci Snyder, Special Recognition-Posters

Mary Morgan Elementary, Byron
Mia Girten, Honorable Mention-Posters
Jaeden Konkol-Behling, Honorable Mention-Posters
Juliana Bigham, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Cam Bukoski, Special Recognition-Posters
James Clodfelter, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Myla Draheim, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Chloe Stienmetz, Special Recognition-Posters

Meridian Jr. High School, Stillman Valley
Brooklyn Kay Hodge, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

North Elementary, Villa Park
Olivia Daly, Special Recognition-Posters

Olson Park Elementary, Machesney Park
Julissa Davis, Special Recognition-Posters
Stevan Ljubicic, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Collin Mckibben, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Mikaela Moski, Special Recognition-Posters
Isabella Ritzert, Special Recognition-Posters
McKenna Winters, Special Recognition-Posters

Prince of Peace Catholic School, Lake Villa
Scarlett Carroll, Special Recognition-Posters
Krysteanna Feliciano, Special Recognition-Posters

Rochester Intermediate School, Rochester
Ellie Keirs, Special Recognition-Posters
Natalie Nichols, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Mackenzie Strawn, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Brooke Tweryon, Special Recognition-Posters
Gabby Winkler, Special Recognition-Posters

St. Emily's Catholic School, Mt. Prospect
Jamie Laskiewicz, Top Award Winner - Poetry/Prose
Timothy Laskiewicz, Top Award Winner - Posters
Ava Alkass, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose
Emily Clarke, Honorable Mention-Posters
Samantha Amar, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Emma Dower, Special Recognition-Posters
Lydia Lee, Special Recognition-Posters
Katie Stevens, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

St. Giles Catholic School, Oak Park
Sydney Ahler, Top Award Winner-Poetry/Prose
Luke Reale, Top Award Winner-Posters
Paul Wawczak, Top Award Winner-Poetry/Prose
Jack Breuer, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose
Finn Milder, Honorable Mention-Poetry/Prose
Will Daly, Special Recognition-Posters
Aggie Niznik, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Roman Povilaitis, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

St. Monica Academy, Chicago
Karolina Kyrych, Top Award Winner-Poetry/Prose
Gavin Magnine, Top Award Winner-Posters
Sela Nucum, Honorable Mention-Posters
Dylan Cooney, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Efi Malliaras, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Ola Przygodzka, Special Recognition-Posters
Aaron Serrano, Special Recognition-Posters
Jeremiah Torres, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose

Willows Academy, Des Plaines
Sophia Dai, Top Award Winner- Poetry/Prose
Therese Anastasi, Special Recognition-Posters
Ariana LaMothe, Special Recognition-Poetry/Prose
Honor Snell, Special Recognition-Posters
Caitlin Wagner, Special Recognition-Posters