Westlake continues Tree City poster contest tradition

Mayor Dennis Clough with contest winners Brian Schneidler, Amelia Samide and Brandon McLaughlin. Photo by Mary Beth Schneidler

The City of Westlake Tree Commission and Mayor Dennis Clough were determined to offer the annual Tree City poster contest to this year’s fifth-graders at Dover Intermediate School.

The coronavirus made the possibility of it happening more difficult but this year’s fifth-graders certainly came through. Two days before the contest was to begin school was closed ... but determination prevailed. The students were given directions online including a video as to what they needed to do. The deadlines were extended and the students could design posters online, create actual posters and submit photographs of their posters, and were able to use a wide variety of means to decorate their creations! Their work was exemplary.

The original poster contest was to celebrate Arbor Day in Westlake but that special day was not  allowed to be celebrated this year. The theme of the contest is always “Why trees are important to me!” The students are instructed to research the importance of trees to a community, the environment and globally. They generated essays to explain why trees are important and how they can preserve them in their city.

Three posters were selected to receive a special award from Mayor Clough at a unique ceremony at City Hall – an interesting event with social distancing and masks. Also in attendance were Mr. Nick Miller, principal at Dover Intermediate School; Mr. Paul Quinn III, service director for Westlake; Tree Commission members Mary Beth Schneidler and Ken Sadd and the students’ parents.

The three poster contest winners – Brandon McLaughlin, Amelia Samide and Brian Schneidler – were awarded proclamations declaring a special day in Westlake as “their day” along with ribbons. They also received butterfly bushes from Dean’s Greenhouse in Westlake for them to plant in their yards.

It was a beautiful presentation as these students were congratulated for doing an excellent job during such difficult times! Mayor Clough and the Tree Commission members – Mary Beth Schneidler, John Walz, Diane Morris, Justin Parks and Ken Sadd – thank all of the fifth-graders that submitted posters!

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Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 9:46 AM, 06.16.2020