Union County Honors Young Writers In Arbor Day Poetry Contest

In honor of Arbor Day, the Union County Board of County Commissioners, in collaboration with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board, is proud to announce the winners of this year's Arbor Day Poetry Contest. Each year, the contest invites students in grades 4 through 8 to reflect on the beauty and importance of trees through the art of poetry, while encouraging environmental responsibility.

"Awarding our young poets is one of the highlights of the year," said Commissioner Chairwoman Lourdes Leon, who also serves as the Commissioner Board Liaison to the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board. "This contest is more than just a celebration of poetry-it's a celebration of how our youth connect with the environment and express their hopes for a greener future. As Chairwoman and liaison to the Shade Tree Advisory Board, I'm deeply moved by the creativity and heart that these students put into their words. Their poems remind us all of the quiet strength of trees and the essential role they play in our lives and in the health of our planet."

A special awards ceremony to honor the first, second, and third place winners in each grade level will take place on Wednesday, April 17^th at 6:00 p.m. during the scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of County Commissioners.

This year's winners are as follows:

4th Grade
1st Place - Lovely Trees by Nathaly Sinchi (Jerome Dunn Academy #9, Elizabeth)
2nd Place - My Tree Is So Special to Me by Elijah Rivers (Mountain Park Elementary School, Berkeley Heights)
3rd Place - An Arbor of Trees by Jonathan E. Wehye (Hurden Looker Elementary School, Hillside)

5th Grade
1st Place - Arbor Day Green Trees by Caleb Hughes (School 4, Linden)
2nd Place - Providers of Life by Anna Cuevas (Grover Cleveland School, Rahway)
3rd Place - The Grand Tree by Emma Brzeziniski (Hehnly School, Clark)

6th Grade
1st Place - The Charming Sequoia by Lya Darius (St. John the Apostle, Clark)
2nd Place - The Heart of the Forest by Emily Kiefner (Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights)
3rd Place - Trees by Alice Fisher (Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains)

7th Grade
1st Place - Beyond the Branches by Shaila Jimenez (School 27, Elizabeth)
2nd Place - Priceless by Ellen Barnhurst (Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights)
3rd Place - Lost by Julia Ruiz (Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights)

8th Grade
1st Place - More Than Just a Tree by Enzo Rigonato Silva (Lincoln School, Garwood)
2nd Place - I'll Always Remember by Jada Santos (Deerfield School, Mountainside)
3rd Place - We Owe It to the Trees by Saheila Morgan (Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains)

Arbor Day, observed on the last Friday in April, originated in Nebraska in 1872 and has since grown into a nationwide movement to encourage tree planting and environmental awareness. This year, Arbor Day falls on Friday, April 25^th, reminding us all of the importance of preserving green spaces and planting for the future.

For questions about the Arbor Day Poetry Contest, please contact Zoraida Mosquera at Zoraida.Mosquera@ucnj.org. To learn more about Union County's environmental programs and initiatives, visit The Green Connection at www.ucnj.org/green-connection.