NEWS RELEASE
Pocatello Student Wins Statewide Arbor Day Poster Contest
Boise, Idaho – Lily Cuoio, a talented and artistic fifth-grade student at Jefferson Elementary School in Pocatello, Idaho, was recognized today for winning Idaho’s 2008 Arbor Day Poster Contest. The contest was open to fifth-graders across the state, and Lily’s winning poster represented Idaho in the national Arbor Day poster contest.
Governor Jim Risch, Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, and State Controller Donna Jones were on hand to congratulate Ms. Cuoio, and her parents, Rick and Margaret, for winning the contest.
A kwanzan cherry tree was planted in Capitol Park, and dedicated to Ms. Lily Cuoio, to commemorate this Arbor Day. A marble plaque adjacent to the tree recognizes Ms. Cuoio’s achievement.
In conjunction with the Arbor Day celebration, which was held in downtown Boise, Risch, Ysursa and Jones presented a check for $26,995,000 to the Idaho Department of Education. These funds are proceeds from the 2.5 million acres of endowment lands which are managed by the Idaho Land Board to benefit our schools.
Each year millions of trees are hand planted on Idaho’s 22 million acres of private, state and federal forest land. This is in addition to the millions of trees that also are planted through nature. Idaho forests provide jobs to nearly 15,000 Idahoans, $1.7 billion in products, habitat for wildlife and clean water.
The first Arbor Day was held in 1872 in Nebraska. Today, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states and many other countries. For more information about Arbor Day, visit the IFPC website at www.idahoforests.org.
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Additional Resources:
Photo – Lily Cuoio’s winning 2008 Arbor Day Poster
http://www.sco.idaho.gov/web/scoweb.nsf/pages/arbor-day-poster/$FILE/arbor-day-poster.jpg
Photo – Lily Cuoio with Idaho Land Board Members Gov. Jim Risch, Sec. of State Ben Ysursa and State Controller Donna Jones; also pictured Margaret and Rick Cuoio
http://www.sco.idaho.gov/web/scoweb.nsf/pages/lily-cuoio-1/$FILE/lily-cuoio-1.jpgPhoto – Lily Cuoio with Idaho Governor Jim Risch, planting a kwanzan cherry tree
http://www.sco.idaho.gov/web/scoweb.nsf/pages/lily-cuoio-2/$FILE/lily-cuoio-2.jpg
Photo – A marble monument with Lily Cuoio’s name was installed at the base of the kwanzan cherry tree planted in Capitol Park, in downtown Boise
http://www.sco.idaho.gov/web/scoweb.nsf/pages/lily-cuoio-3/$FILE/lily-cuoio-3.jpg
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