Arbor Lodge hosts poster, poetry winners

NEBRASKA CITY - Awards were presented to winners of the 2021 Arbor Day Poster Contest during the Arbor Day Children’s Programs on Friday at Arbor Lodge State Historical Park.

The Poster Contest entries were judged by artists at the Kimmel-Harding-Nelson Center for the Arts.  Winning posters were displayed throughout the weekend at Arbor Lodge.   Hundreds of other great entries from students in grades K-6 were displayed in the windows of Central Avenue business.

Kindergarten: Aquiles Ceballos King (Northside Elementary – Mrs. Houghton, teacher)

• 1^st Grade: Dante Cavanzon (Northside Elementary – Miss Tharp, teacher)
• 2^nd Grade:  Gwen Ebmeier (Lourdes Central Catholic – Mrs. Harris, teacher)
• 3^rd Grade:  Quinn Eppert (Hayward Elementary – Mrs. Schneider, teacher)
• 4^th Grade:  Clayton Bantz (Lourdes Central Catholic – Mrs. Dorman, teacher)
• 5^th Grade:  Elizabeth McNeely (Hayward Elementary – Mrs. Young)

Arbor Day Poetry Contest Award winners were also announced and awarded prizes on Friday.  Arbor Lodge Staff judged the entries from 6^th - 8^th grades of Nebraska City Middle School and Lourdes Central Catholic.  The winning entries were displayed at Arbor Lodge throughout the weekend.  The winners were as follows:

6^th Grade

• 1st – Harper Rutt (Lourdes Central Catholic – Teacher, Mrs. Box)  “Arbor Day”
• 2^nd  - Brayden Brown (Nebraska City Middle School – Teacher,  Mrs. Reeves) “Majestic Trees”
• 3^rd  – Lily Madison (Lourdes Central Catholic – Teacher,  Mrs. Box) “150 Years of Arbor Day”

7^th Grade

• 1^st – Addison Bakula (Lourdes Central Catholic – Teacher, Mrs. Buggi)
• 2^nd – Eli Buggi (Lourdes Central Catholic – Teacher, Mrs. Buggi

8^th Grade

• 1^st – Stella Young (Nebraska City Middle School – Teacher, Ms. Sjulin) “Sylvan Walk”
• 2^nd – Elizabeth Poggemeyer (Nebraska City Middle School - Teacher, Ms. Sjulin) “The Seasons Change”
• 3^rd – Lextyn Harker (Nebraska City Middle School - Teacher, Ms. Sjulin) “150 Years of Trees”

The children’s programs also included a brief history of Arbor Day, tree planting tips, and musical entertainment by The String Beans.  All children also received a blue spruce seedling from the Arbor Day Foundation, an Arbor Day coloring book, and coupon from Arbor Lanes.  The theme for this year’s Arbor Day Celebration was “Arbor Day 150”, celebrating the 150^th Anniversary of Arbor Day.