Plains student places in statewide art contest
Artwork by Kyrie Carr of Mr. Cole’s fifth grade classroom at Plains School.
Kyrie Carr of Mr. Cole’s fifth grade classroom at Plains School placed second in the Keep Montana Green art contest.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation last week announced the 25 student winners in the 64th annual contest. Carr won in the intermediate division for grades fourth through sixth.
This year’s statewide contest received 784 entries from schools and educators across the state, showcasing students’ creativity and dedication to promoting wildfire prevention.
“It’s awe-inspiring to see how our students in Montana are using creativity to spark real conversations about wildfire safety in their communities,” said Julia Berkey, Executive Director of Keep Montana Green. “This contest is more than just art. It’s a meaningful way to engage the next generation in wildfire prevention.”
In addition to the art contest, K-12 educators across Montana are provided a fire safety, prevention, and conservation-based curriculum designed to educate students on preventing wildfires. The theme of the contest this year is “Stray Sparks Cause Starts.”
“‘Stray Sparks Cause Starts’ speaks to the heart of fire prevention. Most wildfires start from small sparks, like stray sparks from a campfire, and can lead to major destruction,” said Berkey. “However, most wildfires are preventable. All it takes is a generation that has a good understanding of wildfire risk to stop the spark.”
The state winners receive ribbons, cash prizes, and statewide recognition. The top three statewide winners will be featured in the yearly Keep Montana Green calendar and will be recognized on the Keep Montana Green website at www.keepmontanagreen.com/art-contest-winners.