LEXINGTON, Ky. — Winners of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s annual Poster and Essay Contest received awards at a luncheon April 10 at Locust Trace AgriScience Farm in Lexington.

“These young people did an outstanding job of expressing the contest theme ‘Kentucky Farmers — Our American Heroes’,” Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “I appreciate the efforts of all the students who entered the competition, and I’m grateful to their parents and teachers for their support.”

Statewide winners in each grade were awarded $100 each.

Essay contest winners and schools in each grade, with their teachers’ names in parentheses, were:

Kindergarten — Cyrus Bivens, Abraham Lincoln Elementary, LaRue County (Erin Bratcher)

First grade — Rory Shields, Collins Lane Elementary, Franklin County (Cassie House)

Second grade — Benjamin Wheat, Squires Elementary, Fayette County (Stephanie Scott)

Third grade — Sayaka Church, Mudge Elementary, Hardin County (Judie Thomas)

Fourth grade — Andy Peeples, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Jahn Owens)

Fifth grade — Michael Brockman, Brockman Christian Academy, Boone County (Dale and Coleen Brockman)

Sixth grade — Kolby Hunt, McKell Middle School, Greenup County (Susan Abrams)

Seventh grade — Lilly Mooney, Mooney Home School, Bullitt County (Melissa Mooney)

Eighth grade — Kayla Wright, King Middle School, Mercer County (Tiffany Penn)

Ninth grade — Chasity Bryant, LaRue County High School, LaRue County (Misty Bivens)

10^th grade — Evan Clark, Daviess County High School, Daviess County (Chris Clark)

11^th grade — Hannah Mooney, Mooney Home School, Bullitt County (Melissa Mooney)

12^th grade — Sarah Stultz, LaRue County High School, LaRue County (Misty Bivens)

Poster contest winners and schools in each grade, with their teachers’ names in parentheses, were:

Kindergarten — Addison Carmack, Early Learning Village, Franklin County (Jennifer Gabbert)

First grade — Yaslynn Ponce, Hartstern Elementary, Jefferson County (Kelly Cole)

Second grade — Bryceson Bidwell, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Lisa Clark)

Third grade — Lexi Tucker, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Beth Anderson)

Fourth grade — Zoe Barker, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Angie Lear)

Fifth grade — Raven King, Whitley City Elementary, McCreary County (Sandy Hamlin)

Sixth grade — Miriam Moore, Faith Homeschool Group, Hardin County (Cindy Vaughn)

Seventh grade — Jason McCormick, Memorial Elementary, Hart County (Sarah Vetter)

Eighth grade — Courtney Hardin, Memorial Elementary, Hart County (Sarah Vetter)

10^th grade — Eliza Kate Moore, Faith Homeschool Group, Hardin County (Cindy Vaughn)

12^th grade — Morgan Johnson, Locust Trace AgriScience Farm, Fayette County (Sara Tracy)

In the first digital art competition, Ethan Carpenter of Second Street School in Frankfort (teacher Cindy Bramble) took first place, and Lanta Willow Wright of Breckinridge County Middle School (teacher Brandon Miles) came in second.

The statewide winner of the Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Contest also was honored at the luncheon. Anna Sawyer, a student at Saffell Street Elementary School in Lawrenceburg, received a check for $1,000. Anna grew a cabbage that weighed 10.5 pounds.

To find out more about the Poster and Essay Contest, go to www.kyagr.com/marketing/poster-essay-contest.html.