North Dakota youth tested their creativity and knowledge of health and nutrition this spring in the third annual “Eat Smart. Play Hard.” poster contest.

“Eat Smart. Play Hard.” is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. It aims to make America’s children healthier by providing practical suggestions to motivate kids and their caregivers to eat a healthful diet and be physically active. The NDSU Extension Service and Bison Athletics launched a statewide campaign of the same name in 2005.

The American Heart Association, NDSU Center for 4-H Youth Development and NDSU Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences co-sponsored the poster contest, which was open to youth age 8 to 19. Entrants competed in two categories: preteen and teen.

The winners in the preteen category were:

• First place - Serena Morlock, Lincoln School, Jamestown
• Second place - Morgan Longtin, Northern Lights 4-H Club, Cavalier
• Third place - Casondra Rutschke, Coyote Country 4-H Club, Linton

The winners of the teen category were:

• First place - Dylan Horner, Mandan Middle School
• Second place - Michael Kaip, Mandan Middle School
• Third place - Ashley Frederick, Mandan Middle School

Winners received a $50 gift card for first place, a $35 gift card for second place and a $15 gift card for third place. In addition, all contestants received a certificate of recognition and an “Eat Smart. Play Hard.” backpack or memo board.

“We were pleased that 137 students from across North Dakota entered posters in the contest,” says NDSU Extension Service food and nutrition specialist Julie Garden-Robinson, who helped organize the contest. “The judges were challenged to choose six winning posters from all the creative ideas that were entered.”

NDSU Agriculture Communication