CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/10/19

Clarke and Oconee County students take top awards in UGA radon poster contest

By Merritt Melancon

Gov. Nathan Deal recognized three students from northeast Georgia for their efforts to spread the word about the dangers of radon as part of the 2019 University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest.

The contest, conducted by UGA Extension Radon Education Program, invites students from across the state to create posters highlighting the dangers of radon, an odorless, colorless, flavorless radioactive gas present in some Georgia soils.

All three of this year’s finalists met with Deal on Jan. 7 to present their posters and thank him for his proclamation recognizing January as National Radon Action Month. Winners will be announced Jan. 24.

Almost 200 posters were submitted in the state-level competition, with three selected to enter the National Radon Poster Contest, sponsored by the Conference of Radiation Control Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Emma Starnes, a fourth-grade student at David C. Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Georgia, placed with her poster featuring an anthropomorphized radon cloud explaining how he can seep in through cracks in basement walls.

Olivia Hawkins, a seventh-grade student at Malcolm Bridge Middle School in Oconee County, placed with her poster featuring a pair of lungs damaged by radon gas.

Blake Bernt, a fifth-grade student at David C. Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Georgia, placed with her poster of a detailed house illustrating all the places radon can seep into a home.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can seep through home foundations and into homes, making the air unsafe for residents. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. In Georgia, homes in the northern counties are more likely to have high levels of radon, but all homes are susceptible.

Radon can be extracted from homes, but only if families know that they need remediation services. Radon testing is not a part of basic home inspections that home buyers order when purchasing a home, but simple home radon tests are available from UGA Extension. To get a test kit, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit www.UGAradon.org.

The UGA Extension Radon Education Program celebrates student artwork while educating Georgians about the program through each January's contest in honor of National Radon Action Month. Nine- to 14-year-olds across the state can design a poster to help alert the general public about the dangers of radon and how they can keep their families safe.

The posters can focus one of five themes:

  • What is radon?
  • Where does radon come from?
  • How does radon get into our homes?
  • Radon can cause lung cancer.
  • Test your home for radon.

The deadline for entries is usually in September. Teachers and parents can learn more about the contest at www.UGAradon.org.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Pamela R. Turner
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal congratulates, from left, David C. Barrow Elementary School fourth-grader Emma Starnes, David C. Barrow Elementary School fifth-grader Blake Bernt and Malcolm Bridge Middle School seventh-grader Olivia Hawkins. All three were named finalists in the 2019 UGA Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest. Emma Starnes, a fourth-grade student at David C. Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Georgia, was named a finalist in the 2019 UGA Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest. Olivia Hawkins, a seventh-grade student at Malcolm Bridge Middle School in Oconee County member from Athens, Georgia, was named a finalist in the 2019 UGA Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest. Blake Bernt, a fifth-grade student at David C. Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Georgia, was named a finalist in the 2019 UGA Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Brooklyne Wassel and colleague Philip Hensley developed the Master Forager program after popular demand from residents in their counties. CAES News
Participants in UGA Extension's Master Forager program find a taste for the wild 09/19/24 Becky Mills
On an unseasonably warm winter afternoon, three women armed with baskets and shears made their way along a nature trail in the woods of Pike County, Georgia. Peering into the underbrush, they stopped occasionally to examine spots of interest in and under the trees and around fallen logs and decaying stumps. A curious observer might wonder what they were searching for with such intent — unless they overheard the trio’s conversation. 
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices across the state. CAES News
UGA sponsoring radon poster contest for Georgia students 09/13/24 Rebecca Cantrell
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state. Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in granite and rocky soils, so Georgia’s wealth of granite bedrock increases the chance of household radon for its residents.
Estate planning CAES News
Free workshop aims to help landowners navigate estate planning 08/05/24 Cal Powell
Most Americans die without an estate plan, which can create a host of problems for surviving family members. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and Fort Valley State Extension are offering a free workshop, “Sustaining the family home and farm through estate planning,” on Aug. 22 to educate Georgia landowners on the benefits of creating an estate plan. Attorney Gracy Barksdale will provide an overview of estate planning, covering topics such as wills, power of attorney and health care directives.
Launched in 2021 by Camden County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Jessica Warren and Martin Wunderly, area water agent for UGA Extension’s Northeast District, the program provides fact-based information to help property owners implement sustainable practices in their landscapes. CAES News
Georgia Green Landscape Stewards promote sustainable landscape practices at home 06/04/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Three years after its debut, the Georgia Green Landscape Stewards program is expanding throughout the state with the assistance of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Using a points-based system, the program has certified more than 200 private properties, public spaces and pollinator gardens in 47 counties as Georgia Green Landscapes, with new applications coming in every month.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and Fort Valley State University Extension are teaming up with a prominent estate planning expert to offer a free workshop designed to demystify trusts, an aspect of estate planning. CAES News
Free estate planning workshop to address trusts 03/08/24 Cal Powell
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and Fort Valley State University Extension are teaming up with a prominent estate planning expert to offer a free workshop designed to demystify trusts, an aspect of estate planning. There are different types of trusts and they can serve purposes including tax planning, medical planning and charitable giving. The free virtual workshop with John Donsbach from the Donsbach Law Group will be held on March 20 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
UGArden serves as a drop-off point for Athens-Clarke County composting. Anyone can drop off compostable materials at the farm at no charge. For information visit ugarden.uga.edu/home/compost-information. CAES News
Should you be composting? 12/05/23 Laura Ney
Composting has become a popular topic in recent years, and many of us have heard that it is something we should be doing in some form. But why? There are many reasons that individuals, communities and governments promote composting, with some focused on diverting compostable waste from landfills and others who are in it for the dirt.