Ag Essay Winners Announced

Posted: 4/16/2015

Ag Week Essay Winners Announced

South Dakota students receive recognition

 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.— National Ag Week which took place March 15-21, is a time to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture.  In celebration of Ag Week, 64 elementary and high school students across the state of South Dakota entered the South Dakota Ag in the Classroom and South Dakota Farm Families essay contest. 

 

Students from 12 different school districts submitted essays The theme of the contest revolved around conservation and preservation of natural resources. The topic for the third and fourth grade contest was “How Do Farmers Turn Waste into Something Useful?” and the high school topic was “How Are Farmers Actively Working to Preserve and Protect the Environment?”

 

Three winners were chosen for the third annual South Dakota Ag Week Essay contest. They are: Abbi Lien, a third grader Brandon Elementary School; Lane Johnson, a fourth grader Centerville Elementary School; and Kiera Leddy, a senior at Milbank High School. 

 

As winners of the elementary contest, Lien and Johnson will receive a classroom pizza party with an area farmer or rancher and a certificate.  Teachers of the winning students will also receive a prize pack. As the winner of the senior contest, Leddy will receive a $250 cash prize and certificate.

 

“We are excited to announce the winners of our third essay contest,” stated Ann Price, South Dakota Ag in the Classroom Executive Director. “The contest was designed to get students thinking about how farmers are working to protect the environment.  The contest also met several South Dakota Department of Education core curriculum standards.”

 

Receiving honorable mentions are: Walter Moore, Sturgis Elementary; Ashton Larson, Gettysburg Elementary; and Amy Printz, Edgemont Elementary.  Honorable mentions will receive a certificate for their outstanding essays. 

 

To read the winning essays visit www.agclassroom.org/sd or www.agunited.org.  One of the winning essays will be published each day during the week of April 19^h – April 25^th.  

 

South Dakota Ag in the Classroom is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to be the premier educator training organization that increases student awareness of agriculture. To learn more, visit us at www.agclassroom.org/sd

 

South Dakota Farm Families is the Facebook page of Ag United for South Dakota.  Ag United is a coalition of farm organizations with a goal of keeping family farms growing.  Coalition members include the South Dakota Cattleman’s Association, the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, the South Dakota Dairy Producers, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Pork Producers Council, South Dakota Poultry Industries Association and the South Dakota Soybean Association.  To learn more, visit us on Facebook at South Dakota Farm Families or our website at: www.agunited.org