FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
For more information contact:
Bill Clary
(502) 564-1137

COMMISSIONER FARMER HONORS CONTEST WINNERS

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer honored the winners of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s 2010 Poster and Essay Contest at the Kentucky Agriculture Day luncheon today in Frankfort.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade submitted posters and essays on the theme “Kentucky Proud: Growing a Healthy Kentucky.” Winners in each grade were awarded $100 savings bonds.

“The goal of this year’s contest was to encourage Kentucky students to make positive food choices to maximize their performance in the classroom, on the field of play and in the game of life,” Commissioner Farmer said. “The first step is to enjoy nutritious, great-tasting Kentucky Proud foods from growers and producers right here at home.”

The winners in each grade, with their teachers’ names in parentheses, were:

Kindergarten – Zoe Barker, Deer Park Elementary, Owensboro (Lisa Clark)
First grade – Zachary Wheat, Squires Elementary, Lexington (Shirla Ramey)
Second grade – Calloway Porter, Anne Mason Elementary, Georgetown (Cindy O’Neal)
Third grade – Taylor Wesley, Waynesburg Elementary, Waynesburg (Gail Psimer)
Fourth grade – Sarah Caldbeck, Whitesville Elementary, Whitesville (Tricia Murphy)
Fifth grade – Kristen Duncum, Western Elementary, Georgetown (Melenda Halsey)
Sixth grade – Evan Clark, College View Middle School, Owensboro (Tina Hare)
Seventh grade – Hannah Mooney, Mooney Home School, Mt. Washington (Melissa Mooney)
Eighth grade – Ben Hunt, Lincoln County Middle School, Stanford (Dixie Bertram)
Ninth grade – Maria Cozzens, Corpus Christi High School, Simpsonville (Ann Horn)
10th grade – Ariana Doderer, Paintsville High School, Paintsville (Sandra Coleman) (best of show)
11th grade – Katherine Gillenwater, Allen County-Scottsville High School, Scottsville (Larissa Haynes)
12th grade – Kayla Helm, Pulaski County High School, Somerset (Greg Barron)

To find out more about the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s educational programs, go to www.kyagr.com, click on Programs, click on Education Resources and click on Agriculture Education.

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Poster and essay contest winners

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer honored the winners of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s 2010 Poster and Essay Contest Tuesday in Frankfort. Pictured with Commissioner Farmer are, from left: front row – Zachary Wheat, Lexington, first grade; Calloway Porter, Georgetown, second grade; Sarah Caldbeck, Whitesville, fourth grade; Taylor Wesley, Waynesburg, third grade; Evan Clark, Owensboro, sixth grade; Kristen Duncum, Georgetown, fifth grade; Sydney Coffey, Georgetown, fourth grade (winner of the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program award in Kentucky), and Zoe Barker, Owensboro, kindergarten; back row – Maria Cozzens, Simpsonville, ninth grade; Ariana Doderer, Paintsville, 10th grade (best in show); Ben Hunt, Stanford, eighth grade; Commissioner Farmer; Hannah Mooney, Mt. Washington, seventh grade; Katherine Gillenwater, Scottsville, 11th grade, and Kayla Helm, Somerset, 12th grade. (Chris Aldridge photo)

Click here to see the winning posters and essays.