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Recycling poster contest winners feted
City of Ceres, CUSD join efforts in annual poster competition
Eliana Cerda
Eliana Cerda holds her honorable mention winning poster under her chin as she applauds another contest winners description of a poster. - photo by JEFF BENZIGER/Courier photo

To get kids thinking about ways to recycle at home and at school, the city of Ceres and Ceres Unified School District held its 24th annual Recycling Poster Contest, with the help of awards.

A reception for the winners of the contest was held Thursday at the Argus/Endeavor High School multi-purpose room.

Students in 57 classrooms at 18 Ceres schools were asked to create posters with artwork depicting the need to recycle to help be good stewards of the planet. Sandy Arellano, a staff member with the city of Ceres Public Works Department, said that 1,145 students created posters with teachers picking their top five favorites. The top 373 poster contest entries were then judged by members of the Central Valley High School Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Arellano said CUSD has been instrumental in teaching youngsters about environmental awareness, including the need to recycle, not waste water and not allow hazardous spills into the city's storm drainage system. The city has been sponsoring the contest since 1993.

Arellano doled out cash prizes of $50 for first-place winners, $35 for second-place winners, $25 for third and $15 for honorable mention entrants.

Winners in the pre-school to first grade division were: Laura Reyes, Caswell Elementary, first place; Ariana Winn, Sinclear Elementary, second place; Isaac Ramirez, La Rosa Elementary, third place; and Eliana Cerda, Walter White Elementary, honorable mention.

Second- and third-grade division winners were: Eliana Tamayo, Sam Vaughn Elementary, first place; Na Vaiah Lamboy, Sam Vaughn Elementary, second place; Taranveer Singh, Sam Vaughn Elementary, third place; and Angelina Olivarez, Sinclear Elementary, honorable mention.

The four winners of the fourth- through sixth-grade division were: Hailey Carranza, Caswell Elementary, first place; Crystelle Nez, Whitmore Charter Elementary, second place; Heather Starkweather, Whitmore Charter Elementary, third place; and Lesley Soto Ramirez, Adkison Elementary, honorable mention.

Four poster creators won in the seventh- and eighth-grade division: Cassandra Avila, Blaker Kinser Junior High, first place; Gabriela Ambriz, Mae Hensley Junior High School, second place; Nathalie Bustamante Garcia, third place; and Alexandra Perez, Blaker Kinser, honorable mention.

Winners in the high school division were: Felipe Martinez, Ceres High, first place; Angelina Knights, Ceres High, second place; Brian Augusto Cardoso, Central Valley High, third place; and Jaquelynn Chavez, CVHS, honorable mention.