Published on 01/28/20

Gov. Kemp recognizes winners of UGA Extension Radon Education Poster Contest

By Merritt Melancon

Gov. Brian Kemp recognized three students from northeast Georgia for their efforts to spread the word about the dangers of radon as part of the 2020 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 Kemp on Jan. 17 to present their posters and thank him for his proclamation recognizing January as National Radon Action Month.

Students submitted more than 200 posters to the state-level competition, with one selected to enter the National Radon Poster Contest, sponsored by the Conference of Radiation Control Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We had amazing entries from every corner of the state this year,” said Derek Manning, UGA Extension radon educator and contest coordinator. “These brilliant students made it hard for us to narrow it down to three winners”

Gia Hoang, a fifth-grade student at Puckett’s Mill Elementary in Gwinnett County, placed first with her poster imploring Georgians to be bold and test their homes for radon.

Caitlin Smith, a fifth-grade student in Athens-Clarke County 4-H, won second place with her poster of radon fighting superheroes.

Emi Hoang, also a fifth-grade student at Puckett’s Mill in Gwinnett County won third place with her poster featuring a home in danger of being infiltrated by radon rising from the ground.

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 design posters to help alert the general public about the dangers of radon and how they can keep their families safe.

The deadline for entries is usually in November. 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

Fifth-graders, from left, Emi Hoang, Caitlin Smith and Gia Hoang, receive kudos from Gov. Brian Kemp on their Radon Awareness Posters. Gia Hoang won first place in the UGA Cooperative Extension Radon Awareness Poster Contest. Caitlin Smith and Emi Hoang, won second and third places respectively.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Download Image

Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism.

CAES News

UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera

On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.

CAES News

Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith

By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.

Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA)

CAES News

Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell

Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.

The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)

CAES News

UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24

The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.

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.

Honorees at the 2024 State 4-H Congress included 4-H Green Jacket Award winner Jay Morgan, Master 4-H’er Vidhi Patel, Warnell Associate Dean for Outreach Nick Fuhrman for Warnell accepting the Friend of 4-H Award on behalf of the college, Georgia 4-H State President Kingston Ryals, William H. Booth Award winner Patrick Willis, and Ryles Rising Star Award Laura Mirarchi.

CAES News

Outstanding youth, supportive adults celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress 08/14/24 Josie Smith

Accomplished 4-H youth and the adults who empower them gathered at the 81st Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers features state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action competitions and recognizes youth development professionals and community supporters contributing to the success of 4-H in Georgia. More than 200 youth delegates competed in 50 Project Achievement areas and eight youth delegates competed in the Leadership in Action contest during annual event.