Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park hosted an essay contest to coordinate with the international theme for Earth Day 2016, Trees for the Earth.   There were three entry categories: high school, middle school, and elementary school.  Over 300 entries were received from 22 schools in the region.  The contest winner from each of the categories will receive a $50 cash prize.  Winners were announced on Earth Day, Friday, April 22^nd.  The winner in the Elementary School Category was Nora Hughes, a fourth grade student in Ms. DeFilippo’s class at Schuylerville Elementary School.  In her essay “Trees, Trees, Trees” she wrote, “I enjoy connecting with trees and nature in my own life.  The woods behind my house are a treasure trove of experiences.”  Special mention prizes went to Rose Janicke, second grade student at Dorothy Nolan and to Rider Lee, third grade student at Saratoga Independent School.The winner in the Middle School Category was Julia Metivier, a seventh grade student in Ms. Keating’s class at Queensbury Middle School.  She wrote, “Trees are the portal to another dimension, one where you don’t care if you’re ten or ninety, tall or short. It’s nature and it’s irreplaceable.” Special mention prizes went to two other seventh grade students at Queensbury Middle School, Robbie Scheidegger and Kinsley Holl from Mr. Cowper’s class.The High School winner was Evan Sciancalepore, a ninth grade student from Shenendahowa High School.  He wrote, “On a fall hike, beginning in the crisp morning hours, the ground is covered in a pleasant array of red, yellow, and orange.  As it becomes warmer, the sun gleams through the autumn branches, dazzling us with fall colors.”  A special mention prize was given to another ninth grade student from Shenendahowa, Maxwell Hales.Students were asked to write an essay describing how trees play a role in their own lives.  The theme of Trees for the Earth was selected by the National Earth Day organization to focus on the integral role that trees play in ecosystems around the world and how they are threatened by deforestation, invasive species, climate change, and many other factors.  These threats can harm us by lessening the many benefits that trees provide us.  The essays were judged by retired teacher, Betty McCanty and the money for the prizes was given by an anonymous donor.For more information, please call the Preserve & Park office at 518-450-0321 or via email at info@wiltonpreserve.org.  For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, please visit the Preserve & Park’s website at www.wiltonpreserve.org The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is a non-profit organization that conserves ecological systems and natural settings while providing opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation.