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2026
Together for Healthier Air!
On Saturday, April 11, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored a group of creative fifth and sixth grade students selected for their artistic and writing skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of our Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The students selected from throughout Illinois were recognized at a ceremony at the Illinois State Library.
Each year, fifth and sixth grade students in Illinois take part in the Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest as one of the Illinois EPA’s environmental education initiatives. As part of the contest, participating schools study environmental concepts with an emphasis on the current year’s environmental theme. Teachers round out the classroom instruction by having the students create posters or poetry/prose works to illustrate what they have learned and submit these to the Illinois EPA. Participating schools can select up to eight works to submit for competitive judging. This year’s theme, “Together for Healthier Air!” invites students to think of creative ways that everyone can help keep the air healthy individually and community wide.
“Our Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest highlights Illinois fifth and sixth grade students that have used their creative and artistic talents to show the environmental lessons they have learned in their classrooms,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “This program continues to be successful thanks to teachers and families that incorporate important environmental topics into the classroom.”
Poetry/Prose Top Award Winners
Maya Kashyap - Glenwood Intermediate School, Chatham
Finnley Love - Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest
Haddie McGahan - Fayban Elementary School, Geneva
Scarlet Oliva - Lake Zurich Middle School South, Lake Zurich
Veera Yamagar - Kendall Elementary School, Naperville
Maya Zaibak - Hadley Middle School, Homer Glen
Poster Top Award Winners
Emma Cachola - Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake
Gabby Delgado - Portage Park Elementary School, Chicago
Virginia Moran - Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest