FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2025 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Koisti, Ben.Koisti@state.sd.us  

Bristol Rische of Redfield Wins South Dakota Arbor Day Poster Contest 

 

PIERRE, S.D. – Bristol Rische, fifth grader at Redfield Public School is the winner of the 2025 South Dakota Arbor Day Poster Contest. Rische’s poster was chosen out of 350+ entries from fifth graders from across the state.   

 

Bristol will receive a $125 cash prize and a certificate of achievement, and his poster will be featured on next year’s poster contest promotional flyer and calendar. Rische’s teacher, Cassandra Bottum, will receive $175 for the purchase of educational supplies. 

 

Elliott Cottier of Lake Preston Elementary School in Lake Preston was selected as the second-place winner. Elliott will receive a $100 cash prize and a certificate of achievement. 

 

Jensie Hajny of Philip Elementary in Philip was awarded third place and will receive a $75 cash prize and a certificate of achievement.  

 

The top twelve artists’ posters will also be featured in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest Calendar. 

 

This year’s theme was “Trees in Space” and was sponsored by Arboriculture Dakota’s Chapter. 

 

The annual Arbor Day Poster Contest is designed to help promote the importance of Arbor Day and tree planting and is open to all South Dakota fifth graders. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resource’s (DANR) Resource Conservation & Forestry Division (RCF), the South Dakota Society of American Foresters, Aspen Arboriculture Solutions, LLC and the International Society of Arboriculture Dakota’s Chapter sponsor the state contest. 

 

For more information on Arbor Day, please contact John Hartland with DANR at 605.362.2830 or John.Hartland@state.sd.us. To view the winning posters, visit https://danr.sd.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Education/ArborDayPoster/default.aspx 

 

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