Students from across Wyoming learned more about agriculture and were recently recognized for their participation in the 2015 Wyoming Farm Bureau (WyFB) “Ag Books for Kids” contests.  The 2015 contests included:  Coloring Contest for kindergarten and first grade; Poster Contest for second and third graders; and a Creative Writing Contest for fourth and fifth graders. 

This year county Farm Bureaus across the state donated 605 “Extra Cheese, Please!” books by Cris Peterson to Wyoming elementary schools as part of the WyFB Young Farmer & Rancher Committee “Ag Books for Kids” project.  The students then had the opportunity to participate in a contest to show what they learned about agriculture. 

County winners were forwarded to the district where three winners were selected.  District winners all received a copy of “Extra Cheese, Please!” and were forwarded to the state contest.  See page 8 for district winners.

Coloring Contest

            Park County first grader Korbyn Warren was the state winner of the coloring contest.  Warren received a $50 cash prize from the Wyoming Farm Bureau and an agriculture book titled “Extra Cheese, Please!”  The book was signed by the Honorable Governor Matt Mead.  Warren is in Mrs. Coy’s class at Westside Elementary. 

Rylee Dockery, of Fremont County, was the state runner-up.  Dockery received a $25 cash prize and an agriculture book.  She is in kindergarten at Jeffrey City Elementary and her teacher is Mrs. Gores. 

Poster Contest

Ryker Kearl, of Lincoln County, won the state poster contest.  Kearl received a $50 cash prize and an agriculture book titled “Extra Cheese, Please!”   The book was signed by the Honorable Governor Matt Mead.  Kearl is a third grader in Mrs. Koehler’s class at Canyon Elementary School.

Receiving a $25 cash prize and a copy of “Extra Cheese, Please!” for the state runner-up was Shaylah Frazier, of Lincoln County.  Frazier is a second grader in Mrs. Kennington’s class at Afton Elementary.

Creative Writing Contest

Sublette County fifth grader Haddy Smith won the creative writing contest.  Smith’s teacher is Mrs. Davis at Big Piney Elementary School.  She received a $50 cash prize from the Wyoming Farm Bureau and an agriculture book titled “Extra Cheese, Please!”  The book was signed by the Honorable Governor Matt Mead.  

Fifth grader Faith Anderson, of Crook County, was the state runner-up.  She received a $25 cash prize and an agriculture book.  Her teacher is Mrs. Anderson at Campbell County Virtual School.

“Educating elementary students about agriculture is key to our future in agriculture,” Raenell Taylor, WyFB YF&R Promotions Committee Chair, said.  “It is rewarding to see how excited elementary students seem to be as we get involved in their classrooms more and more to share agriculture’s story and help put a face on agriculture.”

In its eleventh year, the “Ag Books for Kids” program is a project of the WyFB Young Farmer & Rancher Committee.  The grassroots efforts of the county Farm Bureaus who donate the books and help educate about agriculture contributes greatly to the program’s success.  The program’s purpose is to educate children about agriculture and its importance to us all. 

2015 “Ag Books for Kids” District Winners

Southwest District Winners

Coloring Contest:

Avrey Rosalez, Lincoln County

Jada Banks, Sublette County

Jacquelyn Jeske, Lincoln County

 Poster Contest:

Ryker Kearl, Lincoln County

Shaylah Frazier, Lincoln County

Makell Haderlie, Lincoln County

Creative Writing Contest:

Haddy Smith, Sublette County

Harvest Kinn, Lincoln County

Claire Hayward, Sublette County

 Northwest District Winners

Coloring Contest:

Rylee Dockery, Fremont County

Tinikki McAdams, Fremont County

Korbyn Warren, Park County

Northwest District (continued)

Poster Contest:

Kendall Vincent, Fremont County

Meadow Homec, Fremont County

Seremiah Gullian, Fremont County

 Creative Writing Contest:

Megan Jacobsen, Park County

Laura Dockery, Fremont County

Johnathan Moody, Park County

Southeast District Winners

Coloring Contest:

Macy Tremain, Goshen County

Jordynn Speckner, Goshen County

Ricky Bryan, Platte County

Poster Contest:

Tylar Jean Stoddard, Goshen County

Harper Boche, Goshen County

Jerrett Fear, Goshen County

Creative Writing Contest:

Molly Mosley, Niobrara County

McKenzie Schwartzkopf, Goshen County

Bethany Wunibald, Goshen County

Central District Winners

Coloring Contest:

Corbin Williams, Carbon County

Kenna Durfey, Carbon County

Makayla Johnson, Carbon County

 Poster Contest:

Hyrum Heward, Carbon County

Cody Priest, Carbon County

Aaron Andrews, Carbon County

Northeast District Winners

Coloring Contest:

Renae Norris, Crook County

Olivia Knutson, Crook County

Asher Murray, Johnson County

 Poster Contest:

Elizabeth Jordan, Crook County

Mischa Unterseher, Weston County

Miryah Lundin, Crook County

 Creative Writing Contest:

Faith Anderson, Crook County

Nate Rzasa, Johnson County

Caydence Engling, Johnson County