By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Winners of recycling poster contest honored
City, CUSD promotes recycling ideas
IMG 7283
Poster contest winners who were honored Thursday were: (front row, left to right), Isabella Miller, Ismael Pulido, Alejandra Tejeda, Victoria Molina, Jacqueline Gonzalez-Quiroz and Madilyn Wingo; (in center row), Mya Robinson, Joshua Adams, Pedro Fuentes, Ximena Soltero, Natalia Tamayo and Alyssa Figueroa; (in back row), Cindy Heredia, Bryan Martinez, Felipe Martinez and Joshua Santos. Not present were contest winners America Guzman-Sanchez, Briana Monroy, Braden Hurst and Alena Khoshaba. - 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 23rdd 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 73 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. Kay Dunkel, an administrative analyst with the city of Ceres, said that 1,767 students created posters with teachers picking their top five favorites. The top 338 poster contest entries were then judged by members of the Central Valley High School Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Dunkel 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. Dunkel gave a special award to Steve Fabela, who oversees CUSD's Conservation Committee, for helping promote the contest. Fabela, 60, is retiring this summer. Also assisting the the poster contest is Jennifer Rossi, another CUSD employee.

Dunkel 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: Alejandra Tejeda, Lucas Elementary, first place; Ismael Pulido, Lucas Elementary, second place; Isabelle Miller, Lucas Elementary, third place; Madilyn Wingo, Lucas Elementary, honorable mention.

Second- and third-grade division winners were: America Guzman-Sanchez, Sinclear Elementary, first place; Victoria Molina, San Vaughn Elementary, second place; Briana Monroy, Caswell Elementary, third place; and Jacqueline Gonzalez-Quiroz, Adkison, honorable mention.

The four winners of the fourth- through sixth-grade division were: Ximena Soltero, Hidahl Elementary, first place; Joshua Adams, La Rosa Elementary, second place; Pedro Fuentes, Don Pedro Elementary, third place; and Natalia Tamayo, Whitmore Charter School, honorable mention.

Four poster creators, all from Mae Hensley Junior High School, won in the seventh- and eighth-grade division: Braden Hurst, (first place); Felipe Martinez, (second place); Cindy Heredia (third place), and Mya Robinson (honorable mention).

Winners in the high school division were: Alyssa Figueroa, Ceres High, first place; Bryan Martinez, Central Valley High, second place; Joshua Santos, CVHS, third place; and Aleana Khoshaba, honorable mention.