9 Students Selected Out Of 80+ Entries
New City, NY, – County Executive Ed Day and the Division of Environmental Resources announced and honored the annual Environmental Management Council (EMC) 5th Grade Creative Arts Contest winners Tuesday. EMC sponsors the contest in memory of Eleanor Burlingham, who served as Chair for six years until 1991. Burlingham loved children and devoted 40 years to preserving Rockland County’s natural resources for future generations.
“This contest offers a unique opportunity for the County to collaborate with local schools and children to enhance awareness of our environment, why it needs to be protected, and efforts that can be executed locally to make a difference,” said County Executive Ed Day. “We can tell from reading these essays, poems, and posters, that these students love the environment around them.”
This year students were asked to share why they enjoy spending time outside and if they like gardening with your friends and family. Winning submissions included students sharing about their passion for bicycling, beautiful portraits of wildlife, and highlighting concerns about pollution in the Hudson River.
This year’s winners are Valentina Rexing, Audrey Cho, Madeline Clark, Caroline Sletner, and Savvy Guinto of Cottage Lane Elementary School, Izzy Vaccaro, Madeleine Huang, and Ariana Prandi of Viola Elementary School and John Collins of Pearl River Middle School.
Your incredible focus on our environment and some of the challenges already in front of us gives me hope that our green spaces are in good hands.,” said County Executive Day. “These winners not only honor Ms. Burlingham’s legacy by demonstrating an appreciation of the environment but also leave me proud to see the next generation’s deeply rooted commitment to the environment.”