Education
Lapeer County does not have an Educational Coordinator currently, but we do offer some classroom presentations depending on the availability of our staff. Please contact our office to inquire about scheduling a presentation. We do offer NACD Poster Contest classroom presentations for classrooms that would like to participate. Contact Katie Laur to set one up.
Lapeer Conservation District gifts all Lapeer County 5th Graders a White Pine Seedling every spring for Earth Day. LCD also gifts a White Pine Seedling to all 3rd Graders at Project Red located at The Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds in the fall. Since 1969, approximately 1200 students each year have participated in the Conservation Education Program at the request of their teachers, an extraordinary legacy by any standard.
Purpose of the Conservation Education Program
The purpose of the Conservation Education Program is to teach the Lapeer County students about the value and proper use of the natural resources in Lapeer County, and through the delivery of this program, to further Lapeer Conservation District’s vision of informed residents who can use our natural resources wisely.
Introduced in Lapeer County’s schools in 1969, the core of the program consists of three subjects – water, soil and trees – all with a strong conservation theme and sense of place. The subject matter is generally suitable for 5th grade classes, but a survey of teacher preferences indicated that 4th or 6th grades may be preferable, depending on which curriculum the teacher is using.
What makes Lapeer Conservation District’s Conservation Education Program unique is its focus on stewardship and conservation of natural resources in Lapeer County and State of Michigan. In addition, the program takes place at the schools and has always been offered free of charge.
Many thanks go to our past financial supporters:
- Lapeer County residents
- Sierra Club Nepessing Group
- Lapeer County Community Foundation
- Lapeer County Farm Bureau
- Lapeer Optimists
- Kiwanis Club of Lapeer
- Lapeer County Commissioners
- Baker College Center for Graduate Studies
If you would like to inquire about how to become a financial supporter for our educational program, contact our office.
NACD Poster Contest
The NACD Poster Contest gives students grades K-12 the opportunity to have their artwork displayed nationally. First Place Posters reflect the annual NACD Stewardship theme and highlight the work that Conservation Districts and their work in conserving and enhancing the natural resources in their counties. The contest starts at the local county level and then advances to the state level and then national. The national winners are announced every year at the Annual NACD Meeting.
NACD Hand Drawn Poster Contest
There are 3 different categories that students can enter.
- NACD Hand Drawn Poster Contest
- NACD Additional Assist Poster Contest - The Additional Assist Poster Contest is open to all students who may benefit from additional assistance in completing their posters. This contest promotes accessibility and embraces diversity by providing a platform for students of varying abilities to express their creativity and advocate for natural resource conservation.
- NACD Braille Poster Contest - A new addition inspired by a creative 6th-grade student from Tuscola Conservation District, Michigan. This inclusive competition invites blind and low-vision students in grades K-12 to participate, promoting accessibility and a fair experience. Contestants may use braille as well as written lettering and art to create posters that champion natural resource conservation, ensuring equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their visual abilities.
The 2024 Stewardship Theme was May the Forest be with You Always. We had over 260 submissions from 6 schools!
2024 Lapeer County Winners:
| Kindergarten – 1st Grade |
|---|
| 1st Place - Emma Ruegsegger - Imlay City Christian |
| 2nd Place – Garret Van Dyk – Imlay City Christian |
| 3rd Place – Harley Trudo – Imlay City Christian |
| Honorable Mention – Dalton Humphrey – Imlay City Christian |
| 2nd – 3rd Grade |
|---|
| 1st Place – Ava Shannon – North Branch Elementary School |
| 2nd Place – Caylee Humphrey – Imlay City Christian |
| 3rd Place – Kaley Dewey – North Branch Elementary School |
| Honorable Mention – Daniel Galli – Imlay City Christian |
| Honorable Mention – Grace Grasak – Imlay City Christian |
| 4th – 6th Grade |
|---|
| 1st Place – Elayna Reed – Ruth Fox Middle School |
| 2nd Place – Natalie Galli – Imlay City Christian |
| 3rd Place – Sophia McDonald – Ruth Fox Middle School |
| Honorable Mention – Tucker Reynolds – Ruth Fox Middle School |
| Honorable Mention – Brooklin Clark – Ruth Fox Middle School |
| Honorable Mention – Marissa Hendrix – St. Paul Lutheran School |
| Honorable Mention – Penelope Mellish – St. Paul Lutheran School |
| Honorable Mention – Jacob Laur – North Branch Elementary School |
| Honorable Mention – Brylie Tait – North Branch Elementary School |
| Honorable Mention – Eliana Zyrowski – North Branch Elementary School |
| Honorable Mention – Halle Burdeau – North Branch Elementary School |
| 7th – 9th Grade |
|---|
| 1st Place – Charity MacNeil – Dryden High School |
| 2nd Place – Ashley Haus – Almont High School |
| 3rd Place – Christieanna Steinhebel – Almont High School |
| Honorable Mention – Jaccob Miller – Dryden High School |
| Honorable Mention – Juliet Hearold - Dryden High School |
| 10th – 12th Grade |
|---|
| 1st Place – Rhianne Harwood – Almont High School |
| 2nd Place – Jenna Kline – Almont High School |
| 3rd Place – Gina Still - Almont High School |
| Honorable Mention – Lilly Grogan - Almont High School |
Congratulations to all our students who placed at the Lapeer County level! The first-place posters were sent on to the state level. Winners were announced at the MACD Annual Meeting in November. It was a wonderful surprise to find out that all 5 of our submissions placed in the top 5 of their categories with 3 entries moving onto the National Level!
Congratulations to the following State Level finalists from Lapeer County!
K-1 – Emma Ruegsegger – 2nd Place
2-3 – Ava Shannon – 5th Place
4-6 – Elayna Reed – 1st Place
7-9 – Charity MacNeil – 1st Place
10-12 – Rhianne Harwood – 1st Place
2024 National Finalists will be announced at the NACD Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah in February. Good luck to Elayna, Charity & Rhianne!
The 2025 Stewardship Theme is Home is where the Habitat is. To schedule your class to participate in the poster contest for Fall 2025, please contact Katie Laur at (810)664-0895 ext. 5.