SPRINGFIELD/HIGHLAND – On Saturday, April 11, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored a group of creative fifth and sixth-grade students selected for their artistic and writing skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of our Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The students selected from throughout Illinois were recognized at a ceremony at the Illinois State Library.
Each year, fifth and sixth-grade students in Illinois take part in the Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest as one of the Illinois EPA’s environmental education initiatives. As part of the contest, participating schools study environmental concepts with an emphasis on the current year’s environmental theme.
Teachers round out the classroom instruction by having the students create posters or poetry/prose works to illustrate what they have learned and submit these to the Illinois EPA. Participating schools can select up to eight works to submit for competitive judging. This year’s theme, “Together for Healthier Air!” invites students to think of creative ways that everyone can help keep the air healthy individually and community wide.
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Our Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest highlights Illinois fifth and sixth grade students that have used their creative and artistic talents to show the environmental lessons they have learned in their classrooms,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “This program continues to be successful thanks to teachers and families that incorporate important environmental topics into the classroom.”
Poetry/Prose Top Award Winners
Maya Kashyap
Glenwood Intermediate School, Chatham
Scarlet Oliva
Lake Zurich Middle School South, Lake Zurich
Finnley Love
Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest
Veera Yamagar
Kendall Elementary School, Naperville
Haddie McGahan
Fayban Elementary School, Geneva
Maya Zaibak
Hadley Middle School, Homer Glen
Poster Top Award Winners
Emma Cachola
Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake
Jianna Loren Mulles
Hadley Middle School, Homer Glen
Gabby Delgado
Portage Park Elementary School, Chicago
Natalie Owen
Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake
Virginia Moran
Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest
Lucas Wang
Fabyan Elementary School, Geneva
Students, their families, and teachers were invited to Saturday’s awards ceremony at the Illinois State Library, where the top award and honorable mention winners received environmental reference books for their school libraries. The winners, along with all finalists, also received certificates and ribbons for their creative efforts.
A complete list of winners by school is attached. The top twelve entries will also be displayed on the Illinois EPA’s website at: https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/education/contest/elementary/2026.html.
Information about the Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest can be obtained by contacting Kristi Morris, Environmental Education Leader for the Illinois EPA at Kristi.Morris@Illinois.gov.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 2026 Poster, Poetry, and Prose Winners
Beecher City Grade School, Beecher City
Felicity Messer, Special Recognition
Chicago World Language Academy, Chicago
Takhyla Looney, Honorable Mention
Valeria Lopez, Honorable Mention
Eva Luc, Special Recognition
Kristine Ng, Special Recognition
Fayban Elementary School, Geneva
Haddie McGahan, Top Award Winner
Lucas Wang, Top Award Winner
Evelyn Kuczora, Honorable Mention
Jill Lotz, Honorable Mention
Morgan Bald, Special Recognition
Harper Iback, Special Recognition
Addison Maloni, Special Recognition
Tyler Stapleton, Special Recognition
Frederick School, Grayslake
Henry Houchen, Special Recognition
Serenity Tyler, Special Recognition
Funston Elementary, Chicago
Shayanny Lopez, Special Recognition
Sarahi Ocampo, Special Recognition
Maggie Vega, Special Recognition
Glenwood Intermediate School, Chatham
Maya Kashyap, Top Award Winner
Hadley Middle School, Homer Glen
Jianna Loren Mulles, Top Award Winner
Maya Zaibak, Top Award Winner
Cooper Voight, Honorable Mention
Giuseppe Ernesto Fiordirosa, Special Recognition
Kiara Pavez Phillips, Special Recognition
Livia Rulka, Special Recognition
Hailey Tedeschi, Special Recognition
Jaida Zayed, Special Recognition
Hilltop Elementary School, Elgin
Evan Johnson, Honorable Mention
ICN Noor Academy, Naperville
Zara Samad, Special Recognition
Manal Rasheed Warsi, Special Recognition
John B. Murphy Elementary, Chicago
Ian Dooley, Special Recognition
Delphine Schmidt, Special Recognition
Abigail Woodsum, Special Recognition
Kendall Elementary School, Naperville
Veera Yamagar, Top Award Winner
Lake Zurich Middle School South, Lake Zurich
Scarlet Olivia, Top Award Winner
Molly Reimer, Honorable Mention
Navish Gundawar, Special Recognition
Ved Nalla, Special Recognition
Nora Salamondra, Special Recognition
Sri Saajan Tontepu, Special Recognition
Mary Morgan Elementary, Byron
Olive Anderson, Special Recognition
Jacey Jones, Special Recognition
Charlotte Leonhardt, Special Recognition
Passages Charter School, Chicago
Samantha Espinoza, Honorable Mention
Imtiyaz Agnide, Special Recognition
Portage Park Elementary School, Chicago
Gabby Delgado, Top Award Winner
Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake
Emma Cachola, Top Award Winner
Natalie Owen, Top Award Winner
Lorelei Wildeboer, Honorable Mention
Finley Jones, Special Recognition
Nora Wick, Special Recognition
Prairie Trail School, Wadsworth
Marco Bueno, Special Recognition
Rondout Elementary, Lake Forest
Finnley Love, Top Award Winner
Virginia Moran, Top Award Winner
Mila D., Special Recognition
Adrian Stankiewicz, Special Recognition
Isabella Staples, Special Recognition
James Woodruff, Special Recognition
Sadlowski Elementary, Chicago
Penelope Lopez, Special Recognition
Jaymi Miramontes, Special Recognition
St. Aloysius School, Springfield
Gabriel Nguyen, Honorable Mention
Mackenley Graff, Special Recognition
Kennedy McLaughlin, Special Recognition
Rosie Washko, Special Recognition
St. Anthony Grade School, Effingham
Cooper Heuerman, Special Recognition
Arwen Lankford, Special Recognition
Kalea Richards, Special Recognition
Abel Wilson, Special Recognition
Laney Wohltman, Special Recognition
St. Libory School, St. Libory
Tess Lange, Special Recognition
St. Paul Catholic School, Highland
Leah Nenninger, Honorable Mention
Ava Abendroth, Special Recognition
Harper Dauksch, Special Recognition
Rylie Frey, Special Recognition
Hannah Linenfelser, Special Recognition
Ruby Wichern, Special Recognition
Westdale School, Northlake
Sherlyn Flores, Honorable Mention
Sarah Granera, Special Recognition
