CARSON CITY — The Nevada Division of State Parks announced today the winners of its 75^th anniversary K-12 poster contest.  The posters were intended to help celebrate the establishment of the first four state parks by the Nevada Legislature in 1935.

Nearly 200 entries were submitted from throughout the state, competing for cash and other prizes in three different age categories: grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

A first-, second- and third-place prize is being awarded in each age category for a total of nine cash prize winners, 12 honorable-mention awards.

The first prize winners will each receive a donated $100 cash award plus a State Parks Big Horn Sheep walking stick with a 75^th anniversary medallion donated by the non-profit Nevada State Parks Cooperative Association (NSPCA).

Second place awards will consist of a donated $50 cash prize and an NSPCA donated 75^th anniversary pin, along with an “Explore Nevada State Parks” T-shirt. Third place prizes will consist of a $25 cash prize plus an “Explore Nevada State Parks” T-shirt.

In addition, there are five honorable mention awards in the grades K-5 category, one honorable hention in the grades 6-8 category and six in the grades 9-12 category.

The K-5 winners are:

1^st Place – Hector Barron, Grade 5, Eureka Elementary School

2^nd Place – Edgar Caro, Grade 5, Claude Perkins Elementary (N. Las Vegas)

3^rd Place – Kylee Cameron, Grade 3, Caliente Elementary School

The grades 6-8 winners are:

1^st Place – Hailey Lepire, Grade 8, Carson Middle School

2^nd Place – Kallee Teel, Grade 8, Meadow Valley Middle School (Caliente)

3^rd Place – Tavix Robertson, Grade 6, White Pine Middle School (Ely)

The grades 9-12 winners are:

1^st Place – Alexis Church, Grade 12, Carson High School

2^nd Place – Sara Lyn Shores, Grade 11, Carson High School

3^rd Place – Sierra Whitten, Grade 12, Carson High School

Honorable mention award winners include: (grades K-5) Ruthie Montes (Imlay), KayLee Sonneberg (Caliente), Celeste Manrique (Stagecoach), Ivan Heredia (Silver Springs), and Jaiden Guy (North Las Vegas); (grades 6-8) Teana Marshall (Ely); (grades 9-12) Johanna Thorsen (Panaca), Charissa Johnson, James Atkinson, Trevor Stocke, Abigail Hersey and Brian Rosas, all of Carson City.

“There were many commendable entries and the judges had a difficult time picking the best of the best,” said Dave Morrow, State Parks’ administrator. “We want to express our sincere thanks to all the talented students who took the time and made the effort to help us celebrate Nevada State Park’s 75^th anniversary.”

The judges were Rossitza Todorova, representing the Nevada Arts Council; Christian Passink, representing the Nevada Commission on Tourism; and Steve Weaver, deputy administrator of the Nevada Division of State Parks. All winners, including the honorable mention posters, had to be nominated by at least two judges to qualify for an award.