Four Richland One Students Win County Conservation Poster Contest, Advance to State Competition

Four Richland One students won first place in the 2025 Richland County Youth Conservation Poster Contest, sponsored by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District. The contest is an annual education program that invites students to explain the importance of environmental and conservation efforts through artwork.

The theme for this year’s contest was “Home is Where the Habitat Is,” which focuses on the importance of native habitats in sustaining biodiversity, protecting natural resources and supporting a healthy environment.

The following students won first place in their respective divisions of the contest:

• Axel Hernandez Guzman (Arden Elementary School) - Kindergarten-First Grade Division
• Lola Knight (Arden Elementary School) – Second-Third Grade Division
• Gabriella Banks (Hand Middle School) – Fourth-Sixth Grade Division
• Silas Baldwin (A.C. Flora High School) – Seventh-Ninth Grade Division

These students will move on to the state poster contest sponsored by the South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts.

Seven other Richland One students were also recognized in the county competition. Those students are: 

Name	School	Division	Place
Ximena Velasquez Hernandez	Arden Elementary	Kindergarten-First Grade	Second
Roslyn Patterson	Arden Elementary	Kindergarten-First Grade	Honorable Mention
Laylen Ware	Arden Elementary	Second-Third Grade	Second
Kalyn Carter	Edward E. Taylor Elementary	Second-Third Grade	Third
Ethan Johnson	Arden Elementary	Second-Third Grade	Honorable Mention
Yenna Yun	Brockman Elementary	Fourth-Sixth Grade	Third
Kelsee Jackson	Hand Middle	Fourth-Sixth Grade	Honorable Mention

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PHOTO 1: Arden Elementary School first-grade student Axel Hernandez Guzman (right) won first place in the kindergarten-first grade division of the 2025 Richland County Youth Conservation Poster Contest. Pictured with Axel is Jessica Thompson, conservation education analyst for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.

 

PHOTO 2: Arden Elementary School third-grade student Lola Knight (right) won first place in the second-third grade division of the 2025 Richland County Youth Conservation Poster Contest. Pictured with Lola is Jessica Thompson, conservation education analyst for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.

 

PHOTO 3: Hand Middle School sixth-grade student Gabriella Banks won first place in the fourth-sixth grade division of the 2025 Richland County Youth Conservation Poster Contest. From left to right are: Jessica Thompson, conservation education analyst for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District; Gabriella Banks; and Alexis Wallraf, administrative assistant for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.

 

PHOTO 4: A.C. Flora High School freshman Silas Baldwin (right) won first place in the seventh-ninth grade division of the 2025 Richland County Youth Conservation Poster Contest. Pictured with Silas is Jessica Thompson, conservation education analyst for the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.