Ohio’s students in grades 1-6 encouraged to participate in the 2017 Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest

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COLUMBUS – The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness is looking for students in first through sixth grades, including specialized instruction classes, to participate in its annual poster contest. The purpose of the severe weather awareness poster contest is to engage Ohio’s youth in learning the importance of severe weather safety and to demonstrate through illustrations, actions they can take before, during and after severe weather events to protect themselves and others.

Tornadoes, floods, thunder and lightning storms, extreme heat, and winter storms are weather conditions that typically affect the state.

“As educators, parents and mentors, we are committed to teach safety and preparedness to our students – our children,” said Sima Merick, executive director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. “Because Ohio has had mild winters two years in a row, it kind of opens us up to more rain and wind events. We’ve seen multiple days of 60-degree weather this winter. So, we really need to be prepared for anything: heavy rain, snowstorms, even tornadoes. This poster contest provides the perfect opportunity for students to learn about Ohio weather and severe weather safety and preparedness.”

Ohio schools have until Monday, April 17, to send their first-place posters (per grade) to their regional National Weather Service offices. The NWS offices will judge all poster entries and choose their top regional winners, per grade. Then in early May, the Severe Weather Awareness Committee will judge the top regional posters to determine the state and overall state winners.

Schools will be notified of their regional winners by the end of May. All regional winners will be invited to attend the poster contest awards ceremony, which will be held at the Ohio State Fair’s Janis Center on Saturday, July 29.

The prizes are big and the day’s event is fun. All regional winners will receive two entry passes for the day at the Ohio State Fair. All regional-winning students will receive a host of prizes, certificates and awards. State-level winners for each grade will receive additional prizes, and the overall state winner will receive even more, along with a personalized trophy. The overall winner’s school will be loaned a “traveling trophy” to showcase during the school year.

For complete rules and forms to participate in the poster contest, visit the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness website at www.weathersafety.ohio.gov or click here.

The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness is comprised of 16 organizations and state agencies that are dedicated in teaching Ohioans severe weather safety and preparedness.

Staff report

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