Stratton Elementary School students Samantha Landry at left and Addie Knieser hold the posters they created for this year’s Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest. First grader Landry won in her division while Knieser received honorable mention from among all Kindergarten through grade eight entries. Submitted photo

STRATTON — The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is recognizing Stratton Elementary School students Samantha Landry and Addie Knieser for their entries in the 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest.

Participating students were divided into four categories based on grade level. First grader Landry’s poster won in the Kindergarten to first grade division. Kneiser received honorable mention from among all Kindergarten through grade eight entries.

“Addie was a winner last year,” school nurse Trisha Lebeda said in a phone interview last week.

The poster contest is a group project between Lebeda and art teacher Anne Flight.

“We get the kids to take part each year,” Lebeda said. “They learn about lyme disease, prevention, tips, things like that.”

Both students said the thing they liked best about the project was doing the art work.

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When asked how they felt about being a winner Landry said, “I feel happy!”

“Happy that people understood my poster,” Knieser replied.

Students designed posters on the theme “Tick Wise.” Each poster illustrated at least one tick prevention tip:

• Know tick habitats and use caution in areas where ticks may live.

• Use an EPA-approved repellent.

• Wear protective clothing.

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• Perform tick checks daily and after any outdoor activity.

Winners received a Maine State Parks family day pass and tick removal kits for all their classmates. Visit Maine CDC’s website (www.maine.gov/lyme) to view the winning posters.

Visit www.maine.gov/lyme for more information on lyme disease and other tickborne diseases.

Explore Maine tickborne disease data through the Maine Tracking Network. Visit www.maine.gov/lyme and click on “Maine Tracking Network: Tickborne Diseases” in the menu on the left.

Watch tickborne disease videos on Maine CDC’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/MainePublicHealth.

Check out the tick and mosquito school curriculum for youth in third through eighth grades at www.maine.gov/dhhs/schoolcurricula.

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