Mike Parker: Students take top prizes in Lenoir Soil & Water Conservation competition

 Thursday evening I attended the 2021 Annual Education Celebration at the Lenoir County Livestock Arena. Not only did I have the opportunity to see students recognized for posters, speeches, and computer products, but I also learned a bit about the purposes of these competitions and their organization.

Despite the hardships of COVID and virtual schooling, Lenoir County students demonstrated their abilities to compete and win competitions about the importance of soil and water conservation. Local students not only did well in Area 6 competitions, but they excelled at the state level, as well.

Lenoir County is one of 12 southeastern counties in Area 6. The state has eight areas comprised of all 100 of the state’s counties. The competition begins at the District level. According to the handbook that governs the competition, winners in each District advance to the Area contests. Winners of the Area competitions then face off in the State competition.

The District competition recognized students in grades three through seven and nine. Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders submit posters that captured the year’s theme: “We All Live in a Watershed.” This year’s third-grade winners are: First Place, Yorley Yanez; Second Place, Kimberley Price; and Third Place, Jordyn Grace Jones. All three attend Pink Hill Elementary.

Fourth grade winners are: First Place, Abiram Tejada; Second Place, Vincente Gonzalez-Gutierrez; and Third Place, Ryleigh Rae Moore. All these students also attend Pink Hill Elementary. Top fifth grade performers are: First Place, Braylon Canady; Second Place, Jethro J. Gonzalez; and Third Place, Cameron Whitfield. Again, all students attend Pink Hill Elementary.

Top sixth graders in the District competition all attend Parrott Academy. They include Poster winners: First Place, Claire Mixon; Second Place, Mac Owsley. Edward Magnin and Reagan Rouse tied for Third Place. Winners of honors for 6th Grade Written Essay include: First Place, Charles Harper; Second Place, Preethi Chada; and Third Place, Ava Carter. Top students in 6th Grade PowerPoint Presentation include: First Place, Valli Blackwelder; Second Place, Jack Albritton; and Third Place, Clara Ava Carter.

Seventh Grade Public Speaking accolades went to Parrott Academy students, as well. Top finishers in the 7th Grade Public Speaking are: First Place, Wali Omer; Second Place, Ezra Zapler; Third Place, Clara Evans. Tien Le of Parrott Academy won First Place in the 9th Grade Computer Designed Poster competition.

Woodington Middle School (Raiders FFA) fielded an Envirothon Team composed of Rachel Noble, Callie Shackleford, Zavian Garner, and Caleena Kozee.

In addition to District wins, First Place finishers moved to the Area 6 competition and beyond. Yorley Yanez of Pink Hill Elementary took First Place in the Area 6 competition and 2nd in the State Contest for 3rd Grade Poster. Abiram Tejade of Pink Hill won First Place in Area 6 for 4th Grade Poster. Braylon Canady, also of Pink Hill Elementary, took First Place in Area 6 and First Place in the State competitions for 5th Grade Poster.

Claire Mixon of Parrott won both First Place in Area 6 and First Place in the State for 6th Grade Poster, and Valli Blackwelder of Parrott took First Place in Area 6 and First Place in State for Sixth Grade PowerPoint. Wali Omer of Parrott won First Place in Area 6 and Second Place in the State competition for 7th Grade Public Speaking.

The Raiders FFA Envirothon Team from Woodington Middle School took Second Place Middle School honors at the Coastal Envirothon competition and earned the highest scores for a middle school FFA team at the NC State Envirothon.

All in all, Pink Hill Elementary had close to 150 entries in the competition, and Parrott Academy has nearly 80. Although only two local schools submitted entries for the competition, these students dominated both Area and State contests. These schools won six of nine categories in Area 6 and received top marks in five of nine categories at the State level.

I want to congratulate all the students who represented us so well at every level of these competitions, and I want to thank the teachers who inspired them to such excellence.

I appreciate the efforts of those who work with the Lenoir Soil & Water Conservation District. Special thanks to the Board of Supervisors: Charles Hughes, chair; Keith Tyson, vice chair; Macon Wooten, treasurer; and Taylor Best. I also appreciate the hard work of Tara Hughes, who coordinated the competition and judging, Jessie Thompson and Eric Powell, who work with the Lenoir Soil & Water Conservation District.

Next year’s theme is “Soil & Water … Yours for Life.” Students and teachers: start thinking about posters, essays, speeches, and PowerPoints for next year’s contests. I would love to see Lenoir County students continue to dominate the competition.

Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.