News Releases - 2001

Works of Young Environmentalists Go On Display at State Museum

Springfield, Ill. -- Between May 5 and May 19, the lower gallery at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield will offer visitors a glimpse of what Illinois fifth and sixth graders think their world should look like. "The Land We Depend On" exhibit will feature the winning poster and prose entries from the IEPA's 14th annual environmental education event. Thriving plants, happy people and animals populate the youngsters' world, where skies are bright blue, water sparkles and the earth is fertile. Supporting the colorful art works are carefully lettered poems and essays, also touting the need for protection of the most basic natural resources.

"The Land we Depend On" was the theme this year. The 2000-2001 event introduced the entirely rewritten and redesigned educational packet, formerly called "Air, Land & Water" and now titled "Environmental Pathways-Youth Investigating Pollution Issues in Illinois." The curriculum was revised to meet the standards of the North American Association for Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence. The program this year involved 547 teachers and 25,800 Illinois fifth and sixth grade students.

A reception at the Museum on May 5 honored the six students who created the top prize entries, as well as the young artists and writers whose entries survived preliminary judging to make it to the finals. Parents, siblings and teachers were invited to the program at which the top six entrants received $50 U.S. Savings Bonds, certificates, special ribbons and environmental books carrying personalized book plates for their school libraries. All finalists received ribbons and certificates.

Named as top entrants in the poster category were Kelly Boucher, Owen Marsh School, Springfield; Allyson Keith, Prairieland Elementary, Normal; and Alicia Woods, Brookport Elementary, Brookport. Taking top honors with written entries were Jarrod Davenport, A-C Central Junior High School, Ashland; Trish Kane and Laura Kenny, both students at St. Christina School, Chicago. Kane and Kenny also entered posters that were among the finalists in judging, and Keith's written entry was a finalist in the poster competition.

In all, 547 teachers representing 25,800 students participated in the 2000-2001 environmental education effort.

Information about the annual event can be obtained from:

Janet Hawes-Davis
Environmental Education Coordinator
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
1021 North Grand Avenue E.
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Ill. 62794-9276.

A list of all finalists, their hometowns and schools, follows.

Related Information

• Poster, Poetry, and Prose Exhibit