2013 Colleton Soil and Water Conservation District Awards

Taylor Avant, SCDNR's Deana Ruth and Mollie Warren

Poster contest raises awareness for school kids

The Colleton County Soil and Water Conservation District (CS&WCD) recognizes students each April who participate in their programs to raise awareness about rural life. Chaired by Marion Rizer, the CS&WCD is a local group that is affiliated with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Their annual district awards offer a great way for them to interact with the community that they serve. The theme for the 2012 poster, essay and photography contest for school kids was “Soil to Spoon… Have you eaten any soil lately?” The emphasis on soil intends to help school age children to relate that what they eat often comes from the soil. Besides recognizing the contest winners, the annual banquet thanks the CS&WCD affiliate members for their financial support with a catered meal and a speaker. The banquet on April 23 was held at the Outback Building, and brought together students, parents, educators, and affiliate members to listen to SCDNR biologist Deanna Ruth. She spoke on the topic of black bear recovery in South Carolina, sharing that SCDNR has an online reporting system now for any sightings. In both the Pee Dee and the Upstate the black bear sightings have been significant, and it’s only a matter of time before Colletonians begin to see them too. To view a past article about black bear season with Deanna Ruth click here. CS&WCD commissioner Gary Herndon then shared with the crowd how his fellow commissioners Rev. Gerald Mabry and Fred Tritapoe had organized an SCDNR boat ride earlier in the year. Colleton school kids went on this boat ride in the ACE Basin in order to expose them to the wonders of nature and the outdoors, citing that the marine environment is a fragile ecosystem. 

To read the names of the winners in my feature article click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about the CS&WCD awards click 2011, 2010, 2009.