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CITY, ND – (NewsDakota.com) A Valley City 5th grader’s artwork was selected for the “Keep North Dakota Clean” billboard message sponsored by the North Dakota Forest Service’s Arbor Day Poster contest. Espen Kunze of St. Catherine’s School in Valley City is a first place winner.

Kunze’s principal Jason Stangland says the school doesn’t have an art teacher but other teachers provide a good direction for the students.

NDSU Education Coordinator Glenda Fauske says the purpose of the contest is to encourage planting a tree, increase awareness of the benefit trees provide and celebrate Arbor Day.

She says over 12,000 students in grades K-8 take part in the Keep North Dakota Clean poster contest each year.

The awards ceremony for all 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners will be held at 11am Friday, April 22 at the Lewis & Clark Center in Washburn, North Dakota. These winners, their families and teachers will be recognized at the ceremony during a noon luncheon and can spend the afternoon at the Lewis & Clark Center and also visiting Fort Mandan.

All first place winners receive $100 in cash, a certificate, gold medallion and have their poster turned into a billboard along a highway in North Dakota by Newman Signs.

3rd grader Cheska Flores of St. Catherine’s school in Valley City was a 2nd place winner in the poster contest.

Other 1st place winners included: 6th grader Wyatt Meisch of LaMoure and 1st grader Kennadie Linster of Finley.

3rd place winners included: 8th grader Christopher Sayler of Jamestown and 6th grader Madison Feiring of Cooperstown.