Youth Education

Poster & Speaking Contest Entry Forms, Resources, Etc.

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Columbia County Students Shine at 2025 State Conservation Awareness Speaking Contest

We are thrilled to announce that three exceptional students from Columbia County have secured 1st place in all three divisions at the 2025 State Conservation Awareness Speaking Contest on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 in Green Bay, WI. The event took place during the 72nd Annual WI Land+Water Conference, showcasing the remarkable talents of our youth in promoting environmental stewardship.

The Conservation Speaking Contest, a competition designed to enhance awareness about conserving natural resources and improving environmental quality, focuses on topics relevant to local and Wisconsin-related issues. Students first compete at County and Area levels, with the top performers earning the opportunity to participate in the prestigious State Competition held every March during WI Land+Water's Annual Conference. The first-place winners in each division deliver their impactful speeches to an audience of over 500 attendees during the conference luncheon.

We are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements three students in Columbia County:

Elementary Division (Grades 5-6)
1^st Place: Adalyn Howe, Lodi Middle School
Speech Title: "Together in Wisconsin: Keeping Wisconsin’s Ecosystems Native and Thriving"

Junior Division (Grades 7-8)
1^st Place: Lydia Visger, Poynette Middle School
Speech Title: "Responsible Boating to Protect Our Lakes"

Senior Division (Grades 9-12)
1^st Place: Briella Brusveen, Cambria-Friesland School
Speech Title: "Rooted in Wisdom: The Past Teaches the Future"

2025 Conservation Awareness
Speaking Contest Winners

Nine students competed in the Columbia County Land and Water Conservation Dept. Conservation Speaking Contest on Wednesdasy, January 22, 2025. Each student prepared a speech about a conservation topic of their choice!

Elementary Division 5-6th Grade:

1st Place: Adalyn Howe, "Together in Wisconsin: Keeping Wisconsin’s Ecosystems Native and Thriving"
2nd Place: 2nd Place: Olivia Breger, "Chemical Fertilizers"
3rd Place: Olivia Vanden Hoven, "Rainwater Harvesting"
4th Place: Piper Beyler, "Bacteria in Tap Water"

Junior Division 7-8th Grade:

1st Place: Lydia Visger, "Save the Earth"
2nd Place: Tenley Tranel, "Saving the Environment"

Senior Division 9-12th Grade:

1st Place: Briella Brusveen, "Rooted in Wisdom: The Past Teaches the Future"
2nd Place: Morgan Small, "Stop Treating Soil Like It’s Dirt"
3rd Place: Madeline Cleveland, "Microbes and Stuff"

We were all impressed by their knowledge and passion for the topic they chose! Congratulations to all speakers on a job well done! The 1st place winners of each category move on to the State Speaking Conference on March 6th in Green Bay, WI!

Shout out to all of our AMAZING sponsors who donated prizes for our Speaking and Poster Contest winners! We are so grateful for your support!

Buffalo Phils, WI Dells, Cascade Mountain, Crawford Oil (Milwaukee Zoo Family Pass), Culvers, Portage, WI Dells Ducks USPHL Premier Hockey, WI Dells Original Ducks, Knuckleheads, Madison Mallards, Madison‘s Childrens Museum, Baraboo Children's Museum, McDonalds, Portage, MooseJaw Pizza & Grille, Piggly Wiggly, Pizza Hut, Portage, Pizza Ranch, Portage, Portage Theaters, Taco Bell, Sassy Cow Creamery, Timbavati Wildlife Park, WI Dells, WI Dells Poppy Waterman Ice Arena, Cardinal Glass Industires FG, Didion Inc Grain Team, Farmers & Merchants Union Bank, Milwaukee Museum, Pirates Cove Adventure Golf, The Land of Natura, and Columbus Area Aquatic Center.

About the WI Land & Water

Poster & Speaking Contest

Columbia County Land and Water Conservation Department promotes youth education in Wisconsin by hosting an annual Conservation Awareness Poster Contest and Speech Contest. Both contests are open to all Columbia County students home school, private and public.

Conservation Awareness Poster Contest - Wednesday, January 22, 2025

The Conservation Poster Contest is open to kindergarten through 12th grade students and posters are evaluated on the following criteria:

Posters will be judged Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Grades K-12th may participate
Poster Theme: "Home is where the Habitat is."
New This Year! K-12th Grade Inclusive Poster Contest for Students Who Might Need More Help from a Parent, Teacher or Guardian! This contest is a Columbia County Contest only. 1st Place Winners do not move on to an area, state or national contest.

Students will compete first in the Columbia County division with the winning 1st place winners moving on to compete in the Southern Area Regional Competition, then at the State Competition in March at the WI Land+Water’s Annual Conference. The first-place posters from the state competition will represent Wisconsin at the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting.

Conservation Awareness Speaking Contest

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 6pm

The Conservation Speech Contest is open to Elementary Division- Grades 5-6, Junior Division- Grades 7-8, and Senior Division-Grades 9-12. The Conservation Speech Contest aims to promote the conservation of natural resources and the protection or enhancement of environmental quality.

Emphasis is placed on the subject as it relates to the locality or to Wisconsin. Students compete at county and area competitions, with the winners moving on to the State Competition in March at WI Land+Water’s Annual Conference. The first-place winners in each category share their speeches at the conference luncheon.