By: Patrick Troyer, Paulding SWCD
While the Paulding County Fair has now come and gone, there are still some winners of some contest that are to be announced! Visitors to the Paulding Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) booth at the fair had the opportunity to vote on their favorite photos and posters as part of our annual contests. After counting the votes, the results are in! In addition to voting on the two contests, visitors to the fair had the opportunity to enjoy a variety of children’s activities covering soil health, water quality, and native Ohio wildlife.
Let’s first cover the poster contest. Each year, Paulding SWCD sponsors a conservation poster contest for youth in kindergarten through a senior in high school throughout Paulding County. A theme is chosen each year by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) covering an environmental topic with the 2019 theme being “Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper”. The contest is setup to give youth a voice in their local community on their perspective to the important conservation issues taking place not only locally but around the world while showcasing the amazing artistic talents of local students.
Submissions are received from local students with the total submissions being narrowed down to the top 10 which are showcased for the public to vote on at the Paulding County Fair. Posters are evaluated by looking at the conservation message or use of theme, visual effectiveness, originality, and universal appeal. The first and second place winners receive a prize from the Paulding SWCD. From there, entries are sent on to the state level for the next level of judging. After counting all the votes from the Paulding County Fair, Tanner Laukhuf from Payne Elementary came out as the 1st Place Winner for 2019 and received a prize. Coming in 2nd Place for 2019 was Avalon Conley from Antwerp Elementary. Each winner will be invited to the Paulding SWCD Annual Banquet on September 6th at Auglaize Golf Club where they will be recognized and receive their prize.
Also, up for vote were entries for our annual photo contest. The photo contest is open to all Paulding County residents who love to take pictures of the many beautiful sights of Paulding County. Participants can send in up to three of their favorite photos for the contest showcasing a plant, animal, or other outdoor landmark within Paulding County. There are divisions for those under 18 and those over 18. Winners of this contest are also awarded a prize courtesy of Paulding SWCD.
After counting the votes for entries in each division, Ann Furrow from Paulding was chosen as the 1st Place Winner in the Over 18 Division taking a beautiful photo of a winter sunset. The winner for 1st Place in the Under 18 Division was Aria Clem from Antwerp for her photo of a flowering tree. Taking 2nd place in the Over 18 Division was Eileen Kochensparger from Paulding for her photo of a spring flood. Taking 2nd place in the Under 18 Division was Aria Clem from Antwerp for her photo sun shining through some fall leaves. These winners will also be recognized at the Paulding SWCD Annual Banquet on September 6th.
Thank you goes out to everyone who submitted amazing entries for both the photo contest and poster contest. It is always great to see the talents of our local community in capturing everything that is great about nature! Look for these contests to return later this fall!
