GFF Chair Jody Strickland announced the slogan and artwork contest at the Georgia Forestry Commission's Arbor Day education webcast at Wesley International Academy in Atlanta on Feb. 20.
Georgia has much to be proud of in its working forests.
Forsyth, Georgia (PRWEB) April 11, 2014
The deadline for the Georgia Forestry Foundation’s (GFF) artwork and slogan contest to express the value of Georgia’s working forests is quickly approaching on April 30. Students and schools that compete in the contest will have an opportunity to win a prize package valued up to $35,000.
The Foundation’s latest education initiative, “Forestry: A Foundation for our Future,” was launched on Feb. 20 to create greater awareness of the economic, environmental and social benefits of Georgia’s 24.8 million acres of forest land, including contributing $28.9 billion to the state’s economy annually, providing 135,732 jobs, and fostering clean air, clean water, carbon storage, wildlife habitat and beautiful surroundings.
As a part of this initiative, the Foundation is inviting fifth through 12th grade students in Georgia to participate in a contest to express the value of Georgia’s sustainable working forests through submission of a creative artwork and slogan. Schools and students that participate in the statewide contest will have an opportunity to win a prize valued up to $35,000.
“Georgia has much to be proud of in its working forests,” stated Jody Strickland, GFF Chair and Timberlands Acquisitions Manager at Weyerhaeuser. “We’re delighted to expand upon our long-standing education efforts – such as our annual Teacher Conservation Workshops – to further the understanding of what these natural resources bring to our state. We look forward to seeing the creative submissions developed over the coming months.”
There are two levels of competition: fifth through eighth and ninth through 12th grades, with one winner from each level. Each winning entry will be awarded a prize valued up to $35,000, which includes a $15,000 cash award to the school, $2,500 cash award and forestry camp scholarship to the student, Project Learning Tree environmental professional development for up to 20 teachers and an invitation to attend the Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop for two teachers from the winning schools, a field trip for students in the grade level of each winning student, and materials featuring the winning artwork and slogan.
Also, the winning students, their parents or guardians, and two school staff members from each of the winning schools will be invited (expenses paid) to attend an award ceremony on Sunday, July 20 at the Georgia Forestry Association’s Annual Conference in Hilton Head Island, SC. Full description of the prize package can be found on the contest website: http://www.forestry4Rfuture.org.
The artwork/slogan and the entry form must be submitted by April 30, 2014 to be considered in the statewide competition. Only one submission/entry will be accepted per school. The winners will be notified by the Georgia Forestry Foundation by May 16. For more information on the contest including submission guidelines, entry form, terms and conditions and other resources for schools visit http://www.forestry4Rfuture.org or call 478-992-8110.