To get kids thinking about ways to recycle at home and at school, the city of Ceres and Ceres Unified School District held its 21st annual Recycling Poster Contest, with the help of awards from Bertolotti-Ceres Disposal.
A reception for the winners of the contest was held Thursday at the Argus/Endeavor High School multi-purpose room.
The students of 51 Ceres teachers were asked to create posters with artwork depicting the need to recycle to help be good stewards of the planet. Teachers picked their favorites and then making the final selections were members of the Central Valley High School Future Farmers of America (FFA).
On hand from the local disposal company was representative Steve Holloway who 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: Eliya Alarcon-Reyes (honorable mention) and Kaydin Sok Preap (third place), both of Walter White School; Kameron Gearhart (first place), Whitmore Charter; and Kassandra Ramirez (second place), Sinclear.
Second- and third-grade division winners were Dylan Jacobson (first place) and Jalyssa Oseguera (third), both of Sinclear Elementary; Chance King (HM), Don Pedro Elementary; and Jennifer Ochoa Maravilla (second), Westport Elementary.
The three winners of the fourth- through sixth-grade division were: Melanie Martinez (HM) of Caswell; Alexis Tavizon (third) of Sinclear; and Camille Vega (second), Virginia Parks Elementary.
Five poster creators won in the seventh- and eighth-grade division: Marissa Camarillo (third), Madelyn Hernandez (second) , Laureth Orozco (first), and Letiza Zuniga (HM), all of Blaker Kinser Jr. High; and Charity Vasquez (HM), Whitmore Charter.
Winners in the high school division were Central Valley High School students Ashley Camarena (first), Christina Chavez (third), Daisy Macedo (HM) and Joseph Montalvo (second).