Hartsville City Council recognized winners of the 2014 Arbor Day Poster Contest at its Dec. 9 meeting. From left: City Arborist Stephen Wild, 1st place winner Leah Duncan, Jasmine Hodge and Alyssa Poston.
The City of Hartsville marked South Carolina’s 2014 Arbor Day on Dec. 5 with a poster contest, seeking to increase awareness among local 5th grade students of the important role which trees play in the community.
In its Dec. 9 meeting, Hartsville City Council recognized Leah Duncan, a homeschool student, as the first-place winner of the contest, alongside finalists Jasmine Hodge and Alyssa Poston, both of Emmanuel Christian School. Duncan’s winning entry in the contest, which carried the theme “Our Trees Matter,” will be displayed at Hartsville City Hall, and she will have a tree planted in her honor. She said her entry was inspired by the valuable role which trees play in the environment and in the creation of everyday products.
Also during the Council meeting, Hartsville Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Andrews presented the City’s 2014 Arbor Day proclamation, and Lois Edwards of the S.C. Forestry Commission presented the City of Hartsville with its 2013 Tree City USA Award, which the City has now received for 28 years. Edwards praised the efforts of City Council and staff as well as residents to protect and maintain public trees.
“It’s a good thing to see that your city is so interested in urban forestry,” she said.