Smokey Bear made a personal appearance at Lakeport Elementary School on Thursday to congratulate and honor Sawyer Shucart, a fourth grade student who attends the school. Shucart received first place for her Smokey Bear poster in the fourth grade category at both the district and state levels. The poster also won first place at the regional level and fifth place nationally.
The classroom was filled with students, parents, teachers and the district superintendent Jill Falconer, all anticipating the moment Smokey would arrive. An awestruck hush filled the room when Smokey arrived, accompanied by Nathan Weese, fire prevention ranger. Brenda Allen, classroom teacher and master of ceremonies, made the introductions and flawlessly orchestrated the event beginning with Shucart receiving her award. Shucart indicated that she wasn’t sure what the subject of her poster was going to be until she started drawing it.
Shucart, who wants to pursue art as a career stated, “Art brings me happiness and joy”. Once Shucart received her award, which included a $25 dollar check from the state, each child was given the opportunity to be photographed with Smokey. Smokey did not make a statement, but waved a lot and looked very friendly. Shucart will also be honored at the California State Fair in July. Allen stated, “It thrilled me to find out that two of my students took 1st place at the district level and one student made it all the way to regionals. I would really like to see more involvement in this contest because learning about wild fires is very important for all of us. We are looking forward to starting the contest again in just a few short weeks. It will be exciting to see what the students come up with this year. I would like to thank all that came out today to make this a special day for my students, especially Smokey Bear”.
Kamila Garcia, a second grade student, was also honored for achieving first place for her poster in the category of second grade at the district level. Garcia’s poster depicted Smokey and some children roasting marshmallows at the lake. Garcia, who wants to join the Army after she graduates, stated, “I want other children to know that they should not play with matches and to be with an adult when you are near a fire”.
The Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl poster contest began many years ago due to a partnership formed between the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the National Forest Service. According to Linda Waterstraat, poster chair for the Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club (LCTTGC), “students from first through fifth grade are invited to show their understanding of fire prevention and basic environmental conservation principles through original drawings of Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl.” This year, Smokey turned 75. In recognition, only Smokey posters were allowed. Woodsy Owl posters will be allowed again next year. Waterstraat goes on to say that the Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club in Lakeport began the process by reaching out to the area schools and asking them to involve their children in creating posters. A total of 14 posters were submitted with two being forwarded to be judged by the California poster chairman. The LCTTGC is hoping for increased participation and will be happy to assist in the process. This year’s (2019-2020) poster contest will begin in just a couple of weeks. School officials said they hoped that there will be many entries and that someone from Lake County will make it all the way to nationals and win. All submissions must be sponsored by a valid garden club in order for a poster to be submitted to the State.
Marilyn Guenther, a retired teacher, with the help of Pat Hopper from the CLTTGC, now deceased, spearheaded the program for Lakeport Elementary School in the 1999-2000 school year. Hopper volunteered to teach art in Guenther’s classroom. When the Garden Club first started the Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl poster contest, Hopper asked Guenther if her students could create posters for the contest. Guenther whole-heartedly agreed. Since then, Guenther’s students have created posters each year for the contest. She continues to serve as a liaison between the elementary school and CLTTGC. Both Shucart and Garcia credit Guenther for telling them about the poster contest and helping them to get started. Allen also worked with the children to create posters. Guenther stated that it wasn’t just about creating posters, but the process also teaches students about fire prevention and forest conservation.
Superintendent Falconer stated, “We are very fortunate to have our retired teacher, Marilyn Guenther, still volunteering and making great opportunities happen for our students. We are also grateful for dedicated employees like Brenda Allen who continuously work with our students all year long. I’m also proud of our award winning students and their work.”
Prior to joining the Record-Bee as a freelancer covering education and local news items, Mary Phillips worked in education as a teacher and an administrator for 34 years.
