Ensures Healthy, Productive, and Sustainable Forests

2019 Forest Products Essay Contest Winners

In its third year, the NCFA Forest Products Week Essay Contest hit a new record! From Murphy to Manteo, we received over 600 essays from 132 schools. Given submission requirements, teachers only submitted the top 5 essays from each class. We conservatively estimate that over 3,500 students were engaged in forestry topics this contest year. Thank you to all who participated, and to the teachers and parents that supported these students. A panel of forestry professionals from the N.C. Forest Service and the Association served as readers to help select the winning essays. Thank you to Christie Adams, Amanda Hubbard, and Bill Pickens from the N.C. Forest Service, and Amy Juliana, NCFA Education Programs Manager for serving on the judging panel this year! Choosing one winner was quite difficult with so many great submissions. On behalf of our sponsors; Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the N.C. Forest Service we are excited to announce the following winners:

Elementary School: Matthew Beckford from Overhills Elementary in Spring Lake, NC
Middle School: Katelyn Davis from Forest Hills Middle School in Wilson, NC
High School: Timothy McLendon from Mooresville High School in Mooresville, NC

Congratulations to our winners! You can read their essays by clicking on their name. We will be visiting the student winners to personally congratulate them this month.

This year we had so many great submissions we also want to give a few honorable mentions from each grade level. These students made it to the top 5!

Elementary School Honorable Mentions

  • Kaden Ledford from Millersville Christian Academy in Taylorsville, NC
  • Abbi Smith from Oakwood Elementary in Hickory, NC
  • Logan Ulrich from Pine Valley Elementary in Wilmington, NC
  • Amanda Jennings from Shawboro Elementary in Shawboro, NC

Middle School Honorable Mentions

  • Soyu Hong from The Academy at Lincoln in Greensboro, NC
  • Finn Engley from Waters Edge Village Shool in Corolla, NC
  • Josie Conner from RS Middle School in Rutherfordton, NC
  • Bradleigh Corey from Woodington Middle School in Kinston, NC

High School Honorable Mentions

  • Winter Earnhardt from West Iredell High School in Statesville NC
  • Joanna Perrin from MAST Early College High School in Morehead City, NC
  • Mac Barnes from South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte NC
  • Lydia Credle from Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, NC