The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) held its annual poetry contest this spring to celebrate Clean Air Month.
Third, fourth and fifth-grade students across Wisconsin completed activities from the DNR’s Air, Air Everywhere teacher’s activity guide, including writing poems and riddles about what they learned about Wisconsin’s air.
“The annual poetry contest is a real highlight of Clean Air Month. All of the students that participated in this year’s poetry contest displayed creativity and hard work,” said Gail Good, Air Management Program Director.
The DNR would like to announce that Xeonobia Diaz of Samuel Clemens School in Milwaukee took first place in this year’s competition. Congratulations Xeonobia!
Here is the winning poem:
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“I am your Sister…your Caretaker”
I was born to be fresh and clean.
I was born to move like a wave.
My sound is like a beating heart.
I am meant to smell beautiful like a forest.
You don’t see me, but you will know when I’m missing.
I am sad to say to my human family,
“Your actions have taken me for granted.
You have put too much smoke, smog, and pollution in my air,
which has made me sick, and that is not fair!”
So thank you to states like Wisconsin who are setting standards
to clean my air.
Thank-you to the lawmakers who are passing more green laws
so that everyone will care.
Plant more trees because they are the lungs of our Earth!
They create oxygen and clean the air so well,
we will never forget their worth!
Know that I am strong and desire to be free.
You will not get rid of me!
So let’s come together and save our air.
Be a good neighbor, no matter where!
Clean air is a human right for all
so everyone step up and answer the call!
For more information on the Air, Air Everywhere guide and to view the runners-up from Charlotte Van Dorn and Stella Baldock, visit the poetry contest webpage on DNR’s website. Educators may order the Air, Air Everywhere guide by sending their name and mailing address to DNRAirEducation@wisconsin.gov.
*Photo credit to Mrs. Halala-Vishudh, Xeonobia’s teacher.
Air News is published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Air Management Program. Previous issues are available on the Air News webpage.
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