The artwork of 13 Nebraska students will be featured in the 2019 “Nebraska: Don’t Waste It!” environmental calendar. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and focuses on the importance of waste reduction, recycling and litter cleanup.

The students whose submissions were selected for the 2019 calendar were invited to a ceremony at the State Capitol on Monday, August 6, where they were honored by Gov. Pete Ricketts and NDEQ Deputy Director Kara Valentine. Each month, the calendar features one of the 12 winning environmental posters. A 13th winner’s artwork provides the cover for the calendar.

The entry featured on the cover was submitted by Adrian Lopez Chavez, a fifth grade student from Knickrehm Elementary in Grand Island.

The other 12 winners who are featured in the calendar are:

Skylar Desanti, a twelfth grade student from Weeping Water Public School, Weeping Water.

Annah Harris, a fourth grade student from Homer Elementary, Homer.

Juliet Moore, a fourth grade student from St. John Lutheran School, Seward.

Laura Jose Tercero, a fifth grade student from Knickrehm Elementary, Grand Island.

Dusty Jedlicka, a first grade student from Fisher’s 24 School, Schuyler.

Autumn Asche, a fifth grade student from Knickrehm Elementary, Grand Island.

Cory Dayton, an eleventh grade student from Weeping Water Public School, Weeping Water.

Kami Kennedy, a fourth grade student from Kenesaw Public School, Kenesaw.

Bobbi Ritzman, a tenth grade student from Weeping Water Public School, Weeping Water.

Laurana Winz, a sixth grade student from Blair North Elementary, Blair

Jaedyn Bousquet, a fourth grade student from Homer Elementary, Homer.

Jessie Jordan, a tenth grade student from Weeping Water Public School, Weeping Water

“We were impressed with the quality and messages of the posters that were submitted to us this year,” Valentine said. “It shows our students are taking an important interest in protecting Nebraska’s environment.”

Copies of the calendar are available by contacting NDEQ at P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509-8922, or by sending an e-mail request to NDEQ.moreinfo@nebraska.gov.

Below are photos of the individual contest winners, taken at the Aug. 6 ceremony. In each photo, Gov. Pete Ricketts is at right, and NDEQ Deputy Director Kara Valentine is at left. The last attachment is a photo of the entire group.