Rockburn ES Student Wins State Poster Contest

June 17th, 2024

Rockburn Elementary School (RES) student Edison Lee won first place in the 2024 Maryland Fifth Grade Arbor Day poster contest, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In recognition of Lee’s success, RES was awarded 15 trees to plant.

Lee used colored pencils, watercolors and colored pastels to create his design, which was inspired by this year’s contest theme, “Trees Are Terrific … in All Shapes and Sizes!”

Lee says he was “surprised and happy” to win the contest and hopes that his design will inspire people to both value trees and plant more of them.

“We are so proud of Edison and his beautiful artwork,” says RES principal Elizabeth Yankle. “We are also thankful for all of the collaboration with Maryland Forest Service, Howard County Government, Parks and Recreation, and others that went into getting our 15 new trees planted.”

The Maryland Forest Service and Maryland Forest Conservancy District Boards organize the annual poster contest. Posters are initially judged at the county level. Posters that win at the county level are entered into a state level contest, where a panel of judges chooses the top three winners. This year’s judges included Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz, and DNR staff.