Students who love trees can land $500 for posters

Tree-loving students can get a chance to win a $500 U.S. Savings Bond in the 2011 Texas Arbor Day Poster Contest.

Sponsored by the Texas Forest Service the contest is for fourth and fifth grade students statewide. The competition, which includes environmental lessons, is correlated to the state curriculum for science and art, forest service officials said.

The contest theme is "Trees are Terrific in all Shapes and Sizes!" The competition is designed to boost students' environmental stewardship by having them create a community complete with not just trees but the right trees planted in the right places.

Schools will submit a single poster selected from those their students create.

The student who wins the statewide contest will receive a $500 savings bond, a year-long family pass for Texas state parks, a framed copy of the winning poster and an invitation to the Texas Arbor Day ceremony in Pearland on April 29, 2011.

The student's teacher will receive a personal iPad and $250 for classroom supplies while the student's school will receive $250 for environmental books or supplies. Also, a tree will be planted on the school's campus as part of an Arbor Day celebration.

Posters may be no larger than 11 inches by 17 inches. The deadline for each school to submit its winning poster is March 25, 2011.

Schools and teachers interested in the contest can go to the Texas Forest Service Website at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/default.aspx or email Poster Contest Coordinator Pete Smith at postercontest@tfs.tamu.edu.

dale.lezon@chron.com