UNION COUNTY, NJ — In honor of Arbor Day, the Union County Board of County Commissioners, in collaboration with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board, has announced the winners of this year’s Arbor Day Poetry Contest. Each year, the contest invites students in grades four through eight to reflect on the beauty and importance of trees through the art of poetry, while encouraging environmental responsibility.
“Awarding our young poets is one of the highlights of the year,” said Commissioner Chairperson Lourdes Leon, who also serves as the commissioner board liaison to the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board. “This contest is more than just a celebration of poetry – it’s a celebration of how our youth connect with the environment and express their hopes for a greener future. As chairwoman and liaison to the Shade Tree Advisory Board, I’m deeply moved by the creativity and heart that these students put into their words. Their poems remind us all of the quiet strength of trees and the essential role they play in our lives and in the health of our planet.”
A special awards ceremony to honor the first, second, and third place winners in each grade level will take place on Thursday, April 17, at 6 p.m., during the scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of County Commissioners.
This year’s winners are as follows:
Fourth Grade
First Place – “Lovely Trees,” by Nathaly Sinchi – Jerome Dunn Academy No. 9, Elizabeth
Second Place – “My Tree Is So Special to Me by,” by Elijah Rivers – Mountain Park Elementary School, Berkeley Heights
Third Place – “An Arbor of Trees,” by Jonathan E. Wehye – Hurden Looker Elementary School, Hillside
Fifth Grade
First Place – “Arbor Day Green Trees,” by Caleb Hughes – School 4, Linden
Second Place – “Providers of Life,” by Anna Cuevas – Grover Cleveland School, Rahway
Third Place – “The Grand Tree,” by Emma Brzeziniski – Hehnly School, Clark
Sixth Grade
First Place – “The Charming Sequoia,” by Lya Darius – St. John the Apostle, Clark
Second Place – “The Heart of the Forest,” by Emily Kiefner – Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights
Third Place – “Trees,” by Alice Fisher – Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains
Seventh Grade
First Place – “Beyond the Branches,” by Shaila Jimenez – School 27, Elizabeth
Second Place – “Priceless,” by Ellen Barnhurst – Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights
Third Place – “Lost,” by Julia Ruiz – Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights
Eighth Grade
First Place – “More Than Just a Tree,” by Enzo Rigonato Silva – Lincoln School, Garwood
Second Place – “I’ll Always Remember,” by Jada Santos – Deerfield School, Mountainside
Third Place – “We Owe It to the Trees,” by Saheila Morgan – Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains
Arbor Day, observed on the last Friday in April, originated in Nebraska in 1872 and has since grown into a nationwide movement to encourage tree planting and environmental awareness. This year, Arbor Day falls on Friday, April 25, reminding everyone of the importance of preserving green spaces and planting for the future.
For questions about the Arbor Day Poetry Contest, contact Zoraida Mosquera at [email protected]. To learn more about Union County’s environmental programs and initiatives, visit The Green Connection at www.ucnj.org/green-connection.