A Cabool Middle School student was among three state winners in the annual “Fight the Bite” poster contest.
Nicole Smart, a sixth grader, placed first in Missouri in the contest, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the DEET Education Program. It encourages fifth- and sixth-grade students to create posters that make people more aware of ways to protect against mosquito and tick bites and the diseases they can cause.
State winners received a $50 savings bond and certificate. A Springfield fifth grader from Disney Elementary won the national competition.
“The poster contest is a great way for children to use their creativity and artistic skills to educate parents and other children about using insect repellent to protect themselves from mosquitoes and ticks,” said Margaret Donnelly, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “Teachers and health educators are encouraged to incorporate into their curriculum information about protection against tick and mosquito bites and the diseases they carry. The poster contest can be a fun part of their lesson plan.”