2008 Poster Contest Winners Announced

The theme of the 2008 contest was "Experience Montana State Parks." Fifth grade students were asked to illustrate an experience they might have in a state park and to describe it in words.

This year's first place poster contest winner is Emily Perkins of Ruder Elementary in Columbia Falls. She created a poster of Wayfarers State Park near Bigfork illustrating a bashful mother bear and two cubs frolicking in the park. Perkins received prizes valued at $200 which included her choice of two nights lodging for her family in a Montana State Park yurt, cabin or tipi and a backpack filled with equipment and field guides. Perkins' class also received a field trip to the state park of their choice.

Second place was awarded to Sabrina Riff of Montana City School in Clancy for her poster of Salmon Lake State Park dominated by a beautifully drawn westslope cutthroat trout catching a fly. The third place winner is Devin Maves of Forsyth Elementary in Forsyth for his rendering of Makoshika State Park's naturally etched features. Riff and Maves received prizes valued at $150 and $100 respectively, including backpacks.

Those receiving honorable mention were:

• Sierra Rauscher, Prairie View School, Conrad - Wild Horse Island State Park;
• Markaela Francis, Lewis and Clark Elementary, Great Falls - Ackley Lake State Park;
• Talli Carmalt, West Valley School, Kalispell - Wild Horse Island State Park;
• Tasha Schalin, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Great Falls - Bannack State Park; and
• Cody Wiers, Emily Dickinson School, Bozeman - Hell Creek State Park.

The winning artwork will be on display in the lobbies and visitor centers of FWP facilities beginning in June. Displays are scheduled:

FWP	1420 E. 6th Avenue, Helena	June 2 - 13
Region 1	Lone Pine State Park, Kalispell	June 23 - July 6
Region 2	3201 Spurgin Road, Missoula	July 14 - 25
Region 3	1400 South 19th, Bozeman	August 4 -15
Region 4	First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm	August 25 – September 5
Region 5	2300 Lake Elmo Drive, Billings	September 17 -26
Region 6	Hwy. 2 West, Glasgow	October 6 -17
Region 7	Industrial Site West, Miles City	October 27 – November 7