DECEMBER 2, 2016
LAKE CITY, SC -- Florence County School District Three’s celebration of Arbor Day culminated Friday, Dec. 2, at Lake City High School with a ceremony recognizing school and district winners in poster and essay contests.
Rebecca Turk, Education and Events Manager at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, and Kelli Meeker, Moore Farms Botanical Garden’s Youth and Outreach Coordinator, were guest speakers at the awards ceremony. Their presentations focused on the importance of trees and plant life to the environment and to everyday life by providing oxygen, food, building materials and paper products.
Students, along with Moore Farms Botanical Garden, planted trees at J.C. Lynch Elementary, J. Paul Truluck Intermediate and Ronald E. McNair Junior High in memory of two students who passed away earlier this year. A magnolia tree was planted at J. C. Lynch Elementary and a juniper was planted at J. Paul Truluck Intermediate in memory of Mason Powell. A bald cypress tree was planted at Ronald E. McNair Junior High in memory of D.J. Westbrooks
Students in grades K-12 from through the school district participated in the contests while learning about Arbor Day and the import roles trees and other plants play in our everyday lives. Cash prizes ranging from $10 to $75 were awarded to district-level poster and essay contest winners. Florence County School District Three and the Lake City Beautification Committee sponsored the contests.
District-Level contest winners were:
Essay Contest
Class Story: Debbie McAllister’s 5K class, Scranton Elementary (1st).
5K-2nd Grade: Kyndal Ariana Smith, Olanta Elementary (1st); Mikayla Aliana Barr, Lake City Early Childhood Center (2nd); and Alexis Grace McCutcheon, Scranton Elementary (3rd).
3rd-5th Grade: Yanette Munoz-Castillo, Olanta Elementary (1st); Ana Madison Perez, J.C. Lynch Elementary (2nd); and Addison Leigh McKenzie, Olanta Elementary (3rd).
6th-8th Grade: MaKayla Leighann Sheppard, Ronald E. McNair Junior High (1st); Jayla Aniyah Jones, J. Paul Truluck Intermediate (2nd); and Armani Simone Andrews, J. Paul Truluck Intermediate (3rd).
9th-12 Grade: Tyler Justin Yarborough, Lake City High (1st); Chardonnay Briana Williams, Lake City High (2nd); and Tyreek Lance Wallace, Lake City high (3rd).
Poster Contest
5k-2nd Grade: De'Jorriean Aquanette Hanna, Lake City Early Childhood Center (1st); Hailey Tamara Eaddy, J.C. Lynch Elementary (2nd); and Kayla Zyann Fulton, Lake City Early Childhood Center (3rd).
3rd-5th Grade: Kaydin Amelia Knight, Scranton Elementary (1st); Emperatris Clarisa Corea, J.C. Lynch Elementary (2nd); and Joseph James Myers, Scranton Elementary (3rd).
6th-8th Grade: Sydney Lin Morris, Ronald E. McNair Jr. High (1st); Caleb Dean Wallace, Ronald E. McNair Jr. High (2nd); and Ethaneal Bradley Feagin, J. Paul Truluck Intermediate (3rd).
9th-12th Grade: Abbygail Lauren Sauls, Lake City High (1st); Marcus Lee Franklin, Lake City High (2nd); and Elisabeth Alexandra Ford, Lake City High (3rd).
Sponsors for the 2016 Arbor Day activities were Roper Saint Francis Hospital, Whole Foods, Moore Farms Botanical Garden, Mark and Diane Dickson, Scotty Campbell Insurance Agency, South State Bank and the Lake City Junior Sorosis Club.
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