Alabama Fifth-Grade Student Wins 2010 Arbor Day National Poster Contest

Nebraska City, Neb. (April 28, 2010) – The Arbor Day Foundation named Wyatt Dunn of Huntsville, Ala., the winner of the 2010 Arbor Day National Poster Contest, an annual contest for fifth-grade students throughout the United States. Dunn attends Jones Valley Elementary School in Huntsville.

Dunn's poster was selected to be the best out of all the finalists from 46 states and the District of Columbia. As the national winner, Dunn will receive a $1,000 U.S. savings bond and will attend the National Arbor Day Celebration in Nebraska City on April 30, along with his parents and art teacher Denise Taylor. Dunn will also receive a lifetime membership to the Arbor Day Foundation, the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees; a framed copy of his artwork; and a tree planted in his honor at Arbor Day Farm, a 260-acre historic landmark that was once part of the estate of Arbor Day Founder J. Sterling Morton.

"Operation Green Team has been working to educate, through the Arbor Day Poster Contest, students in our community for the past 10 years," said Joy McKee, director of Operation Green Team in Huntsville. "Students from Huntsville have had great fun and success in our city and state contests along with one placing third nationally a few years ago. Wyatt's poster certainly depicts with such clarity how everyone can save energy utilizing tree placement. Thanks to the Arbor Day Foundation for the wonderful educational opportunities teaching the many ways that trees are terrific."

This year's theme of the poster contest was "Trees are Terrific ... And Energy Wise," which was chosen to help students better understand the important role trees play in energy conservation.

"We were very impressed with Wyatt's poster and how it highlights trees in energy conservation," said Michelle Scribner, program director of the Arbor Day Foundation. "There were many outstanding posters to choose from this year, but Wyatt's stood out as the best."

More than 70,000 fifth-grade students participated in the Arbor Day National Poster Contest this year. The contest also includes a classroom curriculum and other activities aimed to boost students' knowledge and appreciation of trees.

For the second year in a row, the public helped select the finalists for the poster contest through online voting at www.arborday.org. Nearly 6,000 votes were cast.

Dunn's 13-year-old brother, Thomas, won third place in the 2008 Arbor Day National Poster Contest.

Hanna Thistle of Las Vegas, Nev., was named the second-place winner, while Rose Vina Apelacio of Indianapolis was the third-place winner.

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About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit, conservation and education organization of more than one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.