Resource Conservation Speech Contest Winners Announced
SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2012
Media Contact: Cec Johnson, 605-773-3623
Resource Conservation Speech Contest Winners Announced
PIERRE, S.D. – The 51st annual State Finals of the Resource Conservation Speech Contest took place Saturday, April 14, at the State Capitol in Pierre.
Winning first place and a $1,100 scholarship was Amanda Wagemann. Amanda was sponsored by the South Brown Conservation District and is a junior at Aberdeen Central High School. She is the daughter of Wade and Jennifer Wagemann of Aberdeen.
Receiving second place and a $750 scholarship was Kay Marrs, Kay was sponsored by the Elk Creek Conservation District and is a junior at Spearfish Classical Christian High School. She is the daughter of Paul and Linda Marrs of Whitewood.
Receiving third place and a $450 scholarship was Tessa Stout. Tessa was sponsored by the Jackson County Conservation District and is a junior at Kadoka High School. She is the daughter of Thad and Penny Stout of Kadoka.
Scholarships totaling $2,300 for the winners are provided by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of South Dakota. The contest is co-sponsored by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts.
The theme of this year’s contest was “75 Years of Conservation: What’s Next?”
South Dakota high school students first participated in a local contest sponsored by their conservation district. Two students from each district were then eligible to participate in an area contest. From there, the top two winners from each of the designated areas were eligible to advance to the State Finals. This year there were seven that competed in the state finals.
The theme for next year’s contest is “The Economic Impact of Conservation on America”. For more information, contact a local conservation district office or the South Dakota Department of Agriculture at 773-3623.
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(Editor’s Note: A file of the winning speech & pictures of the winners and all contestants are available at: http://sdda.sd.gov/forestry/current-news/speech/speechwinner2012.aspx)
