CALENDAR ART CONTEST WINNERS: Students were honored at the January MAC meeting by teachers, principals and elected officials, including Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, far right, back row.

During the January Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, residents and local elected officials joined the Waste Management El Sobrante Landfill to congratulate the 12 winners of the 4th Annual Temescal Valley America Recycles Day Calendar Art Contest.

Sponsored by a Waste Management Think Green Grant, the contest challenged children who live in the Temescal Valley area to illustrate the theme “Temescal Valley Recycles Right to Make Our Environment Bright!” and to depict the positive effects recycling has on the community.

During the contest awards ceremony, Riverside County First District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries and the offices of Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez and Senator Jeff Stone presented personalized certificates to the winners and congratulated them for their environmental stewardship.  Waste Management also gave the children prize bags and awarded a combined total of $2,000 in school donations to the top four winners.

Art Contest Winners were …
1st place:  Riley Hall, El Cerrito Middle School, awarded an $800 school donation
2nd place: Holland McKinsey, Temescal Valley Elementary, awarded a $600 school donation
3rd place: Savannah Hoang, Todd Academy, awarded a $400 school donation
4th place: Sharelle Barrientos, Luiseno School, awarded a $200 school donation.

Runner-Ups were …
Taylor Haering, Temescal Valley Elementary
Emily Lewis, Todd Academy
Noah Travers, Temescal Valley Elementary
Abryana Nicotera, Todd Academy
Gabriela Penaloza, El Cerrito Middle School
Autumn Della Croce, Temescal Valley Elementary
Scarlett Smetana, El Cerrito Middle School
Karla Aguirre, El Cerrito Middle School

A judging panel, which included Temescal Valley residents, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries and El Sobrante Landfill staff, selected the winners based on interpretation of theme, originality, creativity and the student’s handwritten calls to action.

The contest is organized each year through a joint effort between the Temescal Heritage Foundation, community leaders and the Waste Management El Sobrante Landfill.  To date, the unincorporated community of Temescal Valley has received $40,000 in annual Waste Management Think Green Grants to organize cleanup events and environmental learning programs.

Here is the winning artwork:

FIRST PLACE JANUARY: RILEY HALL, 8th Grade El Cerrito Middle School

SECOND PLACE FEBRUARY: HOLLAND McKINSEY, 5th Grade, Temescal Valley Elementary School

THIRD PLACE MARCH: SAVANNAH HOANG, 2nd Grade, Todd Academy

FOURTH PLACE APRIL: SHARELLE BARRIENTOS, 8th Grade, Luiseno School

MAY: TAYLOR HAERING, 3rd Grade, Temescal Valley Elementary School

JUNE: EMILY LEWIS, 2nd Grade, Todd Academy

JULY: NOAH TRAVERS, 1st Grade, Temescal Valley Elementary School

AUGUST: ABRYANA NICOTERA, 2nd Grade, Todd Academy

SEPTEMBER: GABRIELA PENALOZA, 8th Grade, El Cerrito Middle School

OCTOBER: AUTUMN DELLA CROCE, 2nd Grade, Temescal Valley Elementary School

NOVEMBER: SCARLETT SMETANA, 8th Grade, El Cerrito Middle School

DECEMBER: KARLA AGUIRRE, 8th Grade, El Cerrito Middle School