Two LPS students place in poster contest

Two art students in Lawton Public Schools have placed in the Oklahoma Keep Our Land Grand poster contest.

Mia Walker placed second and David Roberts placed third at the county level in the 9th-12th grade division. They are art students of Scott Smith at Life Ready Center.

Walker said her poster, which was done in markers and colored pencils, shows a woman planting flowers, a man in a wheelchair picking up trash, a buffalo and some wind turbines. She said the poster is to symbolize all people of Oklahoma.

“It shows that we can all come together as a group,” she said. “It ties into how Oklahoma can stay beautiful.”

Roberts said his poster, which also was done in markers and a white pen, shows a duck with oil dripping off its body and oil cans strewn about. He said the poster was inspired by the Dawn commercials showing ducks covered in oil. Roberts said through research he learned that trash kills 65 percent of ducks, so he incorporated that into his poster.

“It symbolizes not only people it (trash) affects, but animals and wildlife,” he said. “It shows what not taking care of the planet can do. It doesn’t only affect Oklahoma, it affects everywhere.”

Walker and Roberts said they were surprised to learn they had placed at the county level in the art contest.

“I didn’t like mine,” Walker said. “I thought it was not my best thing. I thought I could do better.”

“I was shocked,” Roberts said of placing third. “I didn’t take it seriously. It was for a grade and I just wanted to pass.”

Both will advance to the state competition, which is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. State winners will be announced later this month.