MADISON – A Madison fifth-grader’s design for a contest led her to Montgomery to meet the governor.

Stella Lee finished in second place in the Alabama State Arbor Day Poster Contest. She attends Mill Creek Elementary School.

“Stella had the chance to help plant a tree with Gov. Kay Ivey outside the state capitol,” Jacqueline K. Smith said. Smith works as the fifth-grade STEM teacher at Mill Creek.

Madison Beautification and Tree Board sponsors the contest each year. The 2022 contest theme was “Trees are Terrific . . . and Energy Wise.”

Madison Beautification and Tree Board members presented commendation certificates to all winners in fifth grade from Madison schools at Madison City Council’s meeting on Feb. 28.

For her poster, Stella decided to show a neighborhood on a beautiful spring day. A huge, bright sun warms the background in hues of orange and yellow. Stella included the contest theme, “Trees are Terrific and Energy Wise,” with a flock of birds flying across the horizon.

The neighborhood’s houses are painted in pastel tones. These structures stand on land with blooming flowers and lush green grass. A forest with a dense growth of trees adds beauty and practical use, like nature’s version of air conditioning, for families nearby.

First-place posters from each Madison school were shipped to the state contest in Montgomery. Stella won second place at the state level and was invited to visit Montgomery for the Arbor Day Ceremony.

Stella, along with her family and teacher, participated in a tree planting ceremony on the Capitol grounds with Gov. Kay Ivey on Feb. 22. The first-place winner gave a brief speech on “What Arbor Day Means to Me.”

Ivey also gave remarks of encouragement. Students joined Ivey in placing the tree on the Dexter Avenue side of the Alabama Capitol.

For more information, visit forestry.alabama.gov or www.madisonal.gov.