Baker County Announces Winners of Third-Annual Say No To Vaping Contest

The Baker County Health Department has named the winners of its third-annual Say No To Vaping poster contest, a countywide effort to engage fifth and sixth graders in creating anti-vaping messages. The contest drew entries between Nov. 20 and the Jan. 9 deadline and is sponsored by the county’s Tobacco Prevention and Education Program.

Posters were evaluated by health department staff members on creativity, effectiveness of message, and overall design. The first-, second-, and third-place winners in each category received an individual gift card as a prize, and the grand prize winner’s class received an additional $500. The contest categories and winners reflect themes county leaders say are central to prevention work: mental health, physical health, environmental impact, and social pressures.

The grand prize went to sixth grader Finley McQuisten of South Baker Intermediate, who is in Cynthia Stevens’ class. Finley also placed first in the Mental Health category. Mental Health category results list Finley McQuisten in first, Brynn Berry of South Baker Intermediate in second, and Asher Rainwater of South Baker Intermediate in third.

Physical Health category winners are Joseph Murphy of Haines Elementary in first, Esperanza Morales of South Baker Intermediate in second, and Kingston Baxter of South Baker Intermediate in third. Environmental Impact first place went to Hazell Crowell of South Baker Intermediate; Maddison Long of South Baker Intermediate placed second and Lilly Crum of South Baker Intermediate placed third. The story includes a contributed photo noting that Hazell Crowell’s poster won first place in the Environmental Impact category. Social Pressures winners are Andrew Kendall of South Baker Intermediate in first, Henry Bazar of South Baker Intermediate in second, and Finley Smith of South Baker Intermediate in third.

A heading for Marketplace appears in contest materials, but winners for that category were not listed in the material available for this report. Details such as gift card amounts, total number of entries, and full judging panel names were not provided.

Selected student posters will be shown at the Churchill School Art Gallery in Baker City during March, with the First Friday opening on March 6. The exhibit gives families, teachers, and residents a chance to see how local students are translating public-health concerns into striking visuals and clear messages.

For Baker County residents, the contest is both a creative outlet for young people and a public-health tool aimed at prevention. Attend the March 6 opening at Churchill School Art Gallery to view the work and support the students; county health officials and the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program can be contacted for more details about prize amounts, any missing category results, and the number of entries for this year’s contest.