The News Courier
—
Young artists and writers from around the state were honored April 2 for their entries in the Farm-City poster and essay contests during the annual Alabama Farm-City Awards Luncheon in Birmingham.
This year’s theme for both contests, “Harvesting Healthy Choices” supports the National Farm-City Council’s strategy of addressing one potentially divisive issue each year. “Harvesting Healthy Choices” gives the agricultural community a chance to talk about the health benefits of locally grown produce and dispels the myth that modern agriculture is to blame for America’s expanding waistline.
The contests received a strong response from students, with 130 total entries at the state level. Students qualified for the state awards by winning first place in their counties.
In the poster contest, McKenna Myrick of Jefferson County took first place in the kindergarten through third-grade division, while Stephen Aldridge of Dale County took first place in the fourth through sixth-grade division. Second place in the kindergarten through third-place division went to Makayla Delvecchio of Houston County, and Jaylen Deveridge of Pike County placed second in the fourth through sixth-grade division.
First-place winners in the poster contest each received $200, second-place winners each received $100, and each winner’s school received matching contributions.
Taking top honors in the essay contest were Victoria Booker of St. Clair County in the seventh through ninth-grade division and Libby Harrigan of Clarke County in the 10th-12th-grade division. Meanwhile, Zach Hurst of Clay County took second place in the seventh through ninth-place division, and Sarah Swain of Calhoun County took second place in the 10th-12th grade division.
First-place winners in the essay contest each received $300, with second-place winners each receiving $200. Each winner’s school received matching contributions.
The winning posters will be featured in the 2013 Alabama Farm-City calendar, along with the artwork of 10 other students, who received honorable mentions for their entries. Those students are: Anna Walling, Chilton County; Samuel Corson, Clay County; Cherokee McShane, Clay County; Carter Gay, Cullman County; Kelsey Young, Etowah County; Courtney Breeding, Lawrence County; Dylan Seth Brewer, Limestone County; Keaton Grace Gunter, Marengo County; Jamie Moore, Marengo County; and Teri Kim, Montgomery County.
The Farm-City Committee of Alabama sponsors the annual awards program in cooperation with Alabama Farmers Cooperative and Alabama Ag in the Classroom. As a way to help bridge the gap between rural and urban residents, Farm-City Week is observed nationally each year the week before Thanksgiving.
