Four elementary school students from Unincorporated Alameda County won prizes for their outstanding entries in the “Help Keep Good Bugs in the Garden” Earth Day poster contest. The contest was open to all 3rd and 4th graders in Unincorporated Alameda County and is sponsored by the Alameda County Unincorporated Area Clean Water Program.
The top four prize-winning posters, two each from 3rd and 4th grades, will be displayed at the Castro Valley Library from April 30 – May 29.
Participating teachers held a brief classroom lesson on using less toxic ways to deal with weeds and pests and keeping good bugs in the garden. They also showed a video starring Clean Water Program mascots Fred Frog and Izzy Egret. Titled “Fred’s Healthy Garden Getaway.” The video spot is available for viewing on YouTube. Students then creatively expressed what they learned in their artwork.
“Pesticides are one of several ways the health of local waterways, in Alameda County’s Unincorporated Area, such as Castro Valley and San Lorenzo creeks, is threatened,” says Cynthia Butler, the Clean Water Program representative for Unincorporated Alameda County. “Helping kids understand the connection between their neighborhoods and local water and wildlife can help reduce pesticide use that can harm helpful garden bugs and pollute the waterways.”
The winners are:
The contest received over 250 creative entries, making the process of picking only four winners very difficult for organizers! Winners received either a Stanley Cup or an Owala reusable water bottle and a spiral notebook with the student’s artwork printed on the cover.
Fifteen classrooms submitted entries from every student and were entered into a raffle. Two classrooms were awarded a $100 Amazon gift card each.
Castro Valley Library
3600 Norbridge Avenue
Castro Valley, CA 94546
