The PA Emergency Management Agency Friday announced the statewide winner in the student weather safety poster contest held earlier this year was submitted by Maximilian Marcieski, a 5th-grader from West Hempfield Elementary School in Westmoreland County.

A list of all winners follows—

-- Grade 1 Winners

1st Place $100:Jenna Campbell, Trinity East, Washington

2nd Place $50: Panayiotis Giovanis, Keystone Christian Academy, York

3rd Place $25; Evan Seesholtz, Central Columbia Elementary, Columbia

-- Grade 2 Winners

1st Place $100: Katrina Cameron, Conneaut Valley Elementary, Crawford

2nd Place $50: Timothy Lengle, Shiloh Hills Elementary, Berks

3rd Place $25: Jacey Blood, Conneaut Valley Elementary, Crawford

-- Grade 3 Winners

1st Place $100: Haydyn Wagner, Nancy Grayson Elementary, Cumberland

2nd Place $50: Charles Zhao, Danville Area School District, Montour

3rd Place $25: Eliza Hockenberry, Nancy Grayson Elementary, Cumberland

-- Grade 4 Winners

1st Place $100: Nevin Eicher, Ramsay Elementary,Westmoreland

2nd Place $50: Benjamin Leflar, Cumru Elementary, Berks

3rd Place $25: Emily Lin, Tracy Elementary, Northampton

-- Grade 5 Winners

1st Place - $100: Brooke Woll, Liberty Valley Intermediate, Montour

2nd Place $50: Maggie Prock, Reiffton School, Berks

3rd Place $25: Emily Hasson, Trinity East, Washington

-- Grade 6 Winners

1st Place $100: Katie Patchell, Reiffton School, Berks

2nd Place $50: John Ferster, Central Dauphin Middle School, Dauphin 

3rd Place $25: William Scott, St. Anne School, Lancaster

"We were so impressed by the poster submissions that came in to us," said PEMA Director Richard D. Flinn Jr. "The students who took the time to participate in this contest should be commended for their creativity and clarity in sharing this important safety message."

The contest focused on the safety message "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors" and was open to all Pennsylvania students in grades 1-6.

PEMA received more than 180 submissions, which were initially judged at the agency's regional offices to select finalists by grade, which were then judged at PEMA headquarters last month by emergency management partners.

The winning poster will be displayed at Pennsylvania State Parks, Forest Lands, Welcome Centers, and Rest Stops throughout the summer, when outdoor activities and lightning are most prevalent, to remind people of the dangers of lightning.

For his efforts, Marcieski won a cash prize of $500. Other winners by grade level and their corresponding prizes are listed below.

The cash prizes were made possible with generous support from AccuWeather, Price Chopper Supermarkets, the PA Turnpike Commission, and the PA Association of Broadcasters Foundation.

Flinn thanked the following organizations for their assistance in making the contest a success: the state departments of Education, Transportation and Conservation and Natural Resources; American Red Cross; United Way of Pennsylvania; Keystone Emergency Management Association; and National Weather Service.

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[Posted: April 14, 2017]

4/17/2017