FRANKFORT, Ky. (January 30, 2024) – The talent of Kentucky’s students was on display this week as entries for the 2023 Jim Claypool Art and Conservation Writing Contests were judged and winners were announced.

The annual competitions include an art contest for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and a writing contest for students in grades six through 12.

The Kentucky Division of Conservation, in partnership with the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts and the Kentucky Farm Bureau, coordinate and provide resources for the contest. The 2023 theme, “Keeping it Wild! Sustaining Kentucky’s Native Wildlife,” helped students from across the state learn more about the importance of wildlife conservation in Kentucky. The students then use the knowledge they have gained about the environment and transform it into creative artwork and essays.

The Conservation Writing Contest, which was introduced in 1944, had over 12,000 entries from 73 counties in this year’s contest. The state and area winners are below:

State 1st place - Emma Sanders, Hart County

State 2nd place - Varshitha Ramesh, Franklin County

State 3rd place - Jakub Gluszek, Oldham County

Area 1 - Kaylee Tharp, Calloway County

Area 2 - Jessica Lawless, Hopkins County

Area 3 - Adley Cunningham, Barren County

Area 4 - Gabrielle Fugate, Jefferson County

Area 5 - Andrew Morfitt, Kenton County

Area 6 - Adam Settles, Fayette County

Area 7 - Carson Beeler, Casey County

Area 8 - Anikaa Sharma, Pike County

Area 9 - Salena Amro, Harlan County

The Jim Claypool Art Contest, which was introduced in 1974, had almost 30,000 entries from 75 counties in this year’s contest. The state and area winners are below:

1st place - Gloria Lee, Jefferson County

2nd place - Ella Sanders, Hart County

3rd place - Isabella Chapman, McCracken County

Area 1 - Grace Munoz, Calloway County

Area 2 - Kaitlyn Green, Muhlenberg County

Area 3 - Abbey Herald, Green County

Area 4 - Laney Gardner, Oldham County

Area 5 - Kaius Terry, Carroll County

Area 6 - Avery Long, Boyle County

Area 7 - Kimber Salyers, Casey County

Area 8 - Jaxton Marshall, Johnson County

Area 9 - Benjamin Edwards, Harlan County

The students will be recognized by their local conservation district.  Their entries can be viewed on the web here: https://eec.ky.gov/Natural-Resources/Conservation/Pages/Art-and-Writing-Contest.aspx

###