Swan Valley Elementary eighth grader Aubrey Matthew's poster placed second in the 60th Annual Keep Montana Green Wildfire Prevention Art Contest's junior division.
Helmville School third grader Maggie Applegate holds up a ribbon she received for placing first in the primary division of the Art Contest.
Helmville's Michael Goettle took second place in the intermediate division with this poster.
The poster by Maggie Applegate of Helmville took first in the primary division.
Helmville students Isaac Loessberg and Kadin Graveley with their participating certificates in the junior division and Loessberg with his first place ribbon. Supervising Teacher Brooks Phillips said all participants received a certificate and Smokey Bear bookmarks while teachers received Smokey Bear magnets.
Helmville School students show off certificates they received for participating in the 60th Annual Keep Montana Green Wildfire Prevention Art Contest's intermediate division. From left are Lucas Spatig (participant), Michael Goettle (second place), Natalie Graveley (honorable mention) and Wyatt Daniels (Honorable Mention).
Helmville School student Kadin Graveley's poster of a firefighter with the slogan "Keep Montana Green" received an honorable mention in the junior division of the art contest.
The Southwestern Land Office (SWLO) of the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) and Keep Montana Green announced the southwestern Montana regional winners of the 60th Annual Keep Montana Green Wildfire Prevention Art Contest.
Local winners included third grader Maggie Applegate from Helmville School who placed first in the primary division (kindergarten through third grade); sixth grader Michael Goettle from Helmville School who placed second in the intermediate division (fourth through sixth grade); eighth grader Isaac Loessberg from Helmville School who placed first in the junior division (seventh through ninth grade); and eighth grader Aubrey Matthew from Swan Valley Elementary who placed second in the junior division.
Helmville School second graders Natalie Graveley and Wyatt Daniels as well as eighth grader Kadin Graveley were among 14 of the 340 entries that received honorable mention awards.
Matthew said she really enjoys art and has participated in the contest for the past three years. She was honored to place in it twice. She placed first in the junior division when she was in sixth grade.
"I'm just really grateful to be able to do something that I love doing," Matthew said. "There are a lot of talented artists that compete so I think it's pretty cool [that I was able to place in it]."
According to a March 12 press release from SWLO, this year's contest celebrated the 75th anniversary of Keep Montana Green. Its intention was to teach students about wildfire safety, prevention and conservation. The student-created posters are supposed to help increase public awareness of the dangers of uncontrolled wildland fires by reminding residents to be more careful with fire and fire-causing hazards while enjoying the state's forests, campgrounds and rangelands, as well as in everyday life.
The posters are first judged in regional contests. The top three entries are then submitted to the state-level contest where winners can receive cash prizes and special recognition.
Kristin Mortenson, community preparedness and fire prevention specialist for the department, said artwork was judged on originality, design, slogan, artwork and prevention message.
"Each award winner stood out in their ability to artistically portray a prevention message in an original manner," she said in an email. "There were numerous excellent entries. It was a very competitive field."
For more information on Keep Montana Green visit https://www.keepmontanagreen.com/
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