Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department
Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) announces their 15th annual Radon Poster Contest winners. Students aged 9 to 14 made posters about the hazards of radon gas, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Entries were judged in December and presentations were held at three schools in January for Radon Action Month.
“The radon poster contest is a fun way for students to learn more about the high levels of radon we have here in Nebraska and what can be done about it,” explains Joy Trail, Radon Program Manager at SWNPHD. “The students are very creative. Our congratulations go to all of them for helping to educate our communities about the dangers of radon and how to reduce the risk of lung cancer.”
Judges selected the following posters:
Ages 9 to 10
1st Place: Sydnia Bird, St Patrick School
2nd Place: Jaretssi Flores Ortega, Chase County Schools
3rd Place: Kenlyn Koebel, St Patrick Elementary
Ages 11 to 12
1st Place: Alyssa Weiss, Chase County Schools
2nd Place: Emerson Beemer, Chase County Schools
2nd Place: Joslyn Kollmorgen, Hitchcock County Schools
3rd Place: Jackeline Vizcaino, Chase County Schools
3rd Place: Camilla Kunnemann, Chase County Schools
Ages 13 to 14
1st Place: Eden McPherson, St Patrick School
Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that enters homes and buildings and cannot be detected unless it is tested. In Nebraska, 1 out of 2 homes test high for radon. Winter is a good time to test for radon, and there are easy do-it-yourself test kits available that are as accurate as professional testing. SWNPHD has free radon test kits for residents of the nine-county health district – call 308-345-4223 for instructions on how to receive a free test kit. Radon test kits are also available online and at local hardware stores.
More information about radon can be found on the website at swhealth.ne.gov and on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. SWNPHD serves Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier, Furnas, Keith, Perkins, and Red Willow counties. Call (308) 345-4223, one number three locations, McCook, Imperial, and Ogallala.