Gov. Carney celebrates Arbor Day at St. Jones Reserve

Each year, Delaware celebrates the last Friday in April as “Arbor Day,” an occasion to plant trees and spotlight the numerous natural benefits that trees provide. Established by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, it is estimated that one million trees were planted on the very first Arbor Day.

Arbor Day observances are also an integral part of community recognition programs such as Tree Campus USATree City USA, and Delaware’s Tree Friendly Community Award, as well as qualifying for a financial award from the Urban Grant Program.

Governor Carney (at right) joined state officials and student poster winners to plant a hawthorn tree at St. Jones Reserve for Arbor Day.

In 2018, Governor John C. Carney, Jr. joined state representatives, cabinet secretaries, students, teachers, and invited guests for the Delaware Arbor Day Celebration at St. Jones Reserve in Dover on Friday, May 4. Governor Carney honored the winners of the Delaware Forest Service’s Arbor Day School Poster Contest, including Statewide Winner Amelia Meyer of Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville. The 2018 poster contest theme was “Trees are Terrific… and Perfect for Pollinators!” The Governor also honored representatives from some of Delaware’s 17 Tree City USA communities, including Dover Air Force Base and Arden.

Click here for a photo gallery of the 2018 Arbor Day Poster Contest winners

Delaware 2018 Arbor Day poster contest winner Amelia Meyer and Gov. Carney with state officials

From left, Rep. Harvey Kenton, Gov. John C. Carney, Jr., state poster contest winner Amelia Meyer of Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville, Agriculture Secretary Michael T. Scuse, and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin.

Dover Air Force Base was honored for being a Tree City USA in Delaware for 26 years.

2018 Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners

New Castle County Winners

Kindergarten – Jade Munoz-Martinez- Academia Antonia Alonso, Wilmington
Grade 1-2 – Makalani Collins -Jennie Smith Elementary, New Castle
Grade 3-4 – Madison Butts – Heritage Elementary, Wilmington
Grade 5 – Chase Puszkarczuk – Heritage Elementary, Wilmington

Kent County Winners

Kindergarten – Audriana Friday – McIlvaine Early Childhood Center, Magnolia
Grade 1-2 – MaKenna Barclay – Nellie Stokes Elementary, Dover
Grade 3-4 – Gianni Coblentz – Hartly Elementary, Hartly
Grade 5 – Jacob Simons – W.B. Simpson Elementary, Wyoming

Sussex County Winners

Kindergarten – Michael Foracre – Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary, Laurel
Grade 1-2 – Yojana Garcia-Lopez – Mispillion Elementary, Milford
Grade 3-4 – Samantha Geidel – Southern Delaware School of Arts, Selbyville
Grade 5 – Amelia Meyer – Southern Delaware School of Arts, Selbyville

Each poster contest winner received a tree-themed book and a print reproduction of their poster on fine art canvas. Thanks to corporate sponsor Delmarva Power, a free tree planting ceremony will also be held at each winner’s school. In addition, every participating classroom receives free pine seedlings for all participants. Once again this year, students from the Middletown High School FFA Chapter and senior volunteers from the Modern Maturity Center in Dover are wrapping thousands of seedlings to distribute to schoolchildren statewide. Check out the previous year’s winners:

For more information, email: Ashley Melvin

Additional photos of the event can be found at the Delaware Forest Service’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/delforestservice.

Past celebrations:

The Delaware Forest Service also sponsors an annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest for Delaware schoolchildren in grades K to 5 for all public, private, home, and charter schools.