A Lake Elementary School student’s “bright idea,” earned her top honors in the
Lake Elementary third-grader Ally Goetz created
“SunWise with SHADE” national sun safety poster contest.
Third-grader Ally Goetz’s poster was among five chosen in the K-third grade category in the contest, a collaboration between the SHADE Foundation of America and the EPA SunWise program. The contest, held in conjunction with Melanoma Awareness Month, invited students to create catchy messages to educate the public about sun safety.
Her colorful poster urged the use of sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, along with advice to seek shade and cover up.
The SHADE Foundation’s mission is dedicated to the eradication of melanoma through the education of children and the community in the prevention and detection of skin cancer and the promotion of sun safety.
Striking more than one million Americans every year, skin cancer affects more Americans than breast, colon, prostate, and lung cancers combined.
“Each year, I’m more and more amazed by the creativity in the posters we receive,” said Shonda Schilling, founder and president of the SHADE Foundation. “Because one in five children grows up to develop skin cancer, it’s more important than ever to teach our kids how to be safe in the sun.”
Lake Schools nurse Adrienne Gurney proposed the students participate in the contest after reading about it in an alert from the Ohio School Nurses Association. “I thought it might be fun, and would encourage the kids to be sun-safe at the same time,” she said.
Students in kindergarten through eighth grade were invited to submit a poster depicting various elements of sun safety – covering up, seeking shade, wearing a hat and sunglasses, limiting time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more, and conducting monthly skin exams.
From posters that incorporated five of the sun safety elements, 26 were chosen to be submitted to the contest. “We were so excited when we heard Ally’s was chosen,” Gurney said. “There were 11,000 entries from 38 states. Hers was one of only five in the K-third grade category chosen.”
A panel of judges in Washington, DC, voted for their favorite posters from “among many impressive entries.” Goetz will receive a Crayola digital camera and matching case, a digital scrapbooking kit, a photo-editing CD and scrapbooking supplies. Her class, instructed by Stephanie Brown, will also receive a UV Index Station and other sun-safety prizes.
In addition, the School Health Advisory Council awarded Goetz with a bottle of sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses
Lake Elementary third-grader Ally Goetz created a colorful poster urging the use of sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, along with advice to seek shade and cover up. Her entry was one of five chosen in the K-3 category of the SunWise with SHADE poster contest.