Each year at the annual meeting, Walton EMC holds a coloring contest for children 12 and under. Here are the 2011 winners:
First Place, 4 and Under - Zachary Schrack
Second Place, 4 and Under - Shriya Sharma
Third Place, 4 and Under - Theodore Voivod
First Place, 5 to 8 - Julianna Finchum
Second Place, 5 to 8 - Scarlett Pastore-Manzano
Third Place, 5 to 8 - Cody Underwood
First Place, 9 to 12 - Ke'mari Pillars
Second Place, 9 to 12 - Connor Kennedy
Third Place, 9 to 12 - Caitlin Rivera
A new event at this year’s annual meeting let customer-owners’ children show their artistic ability while learning a valuable safety lesson.
More than 135 Kids’ Fest attendees 12 years and under entered the first Walton EMC safety coloring contest for a shot at gift cards and having their artwork displayed in the Realite, on waltonemc.com and in co-op office lobbies.
"You can bet these kids all know never to fly a kite near power lines," said Debra Jackson, contest coordinator. "Hopefully they'll share what they learned with family and friends.
Four and under first place-Noah Stone
Four and under third place-Evan Montogmery
Four and under second place-Connor Castillo
Five to eight years first place-Abigail Kennedy
Five to eight years second place-Caragan Cherry
Five to eight years third place-Nayyah Diaz
Nine to 12 years first place-Nikki DeLong
Nine to 12 years second place-Mallory Bassett
Nine to 12 years third place-Katie Story
These days, Dr. Suess isn't the only one getting kids to think green. While Green Eggs and Ham is still a favorite among children, green means a lot more to kids these days; they hear and talk about being "green" - energy efficient and environmentally friendly - all the time. But are you helping them to be green at home?
A person who is energy efficient as a child - consistently energy efficient - will likely practice those same energy efficient behaviors as an adult. So how do you encourage your children to save energy? Here are a few tips:
1. Make a game of it.
Who doesn't love a good game? Have a little friendly competition to see who can remember to turn off the most lights in a week. Or create an energy saving chart where you track progress and reward good behaviors like turning off the water while brushing teeth or closing blinds during the day with little treats.
2. Put in into perspective.
Kids naturally have a genuine concern for the world around us. Simply let them know that saving energy not only saves money, but also helps the environment.
3. Set a good example.
As with anything else, it's important to practice what you preach. If you take a steaming hot 45-minute shower every day, you may not be sending the right message.
4. Watch the savings add up.
Follow your electric bill from month-to-month. If the bill is lower than the last month, place the difference in a jar. Tell the kids that once you've saved a certain amount of money in the jar, you'll use it for a fun activity.
5. Have a family night.
Turn off the TVs and computers for an evening and have a good old fashioned family night. Gather together in one room (and turn the lights off in all the others!) to play a board game.
For more fun ideas, check out Nickelodeon's Big Green Help site.
Have a special way you teach your children to save energy? We'd love to hear it in the comments!
