01 Feb ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF ANNUAL ESSEX COUNTY FOREST FRIENDS FEEDER CONTEST
Published on February 1, 2024
Roseland, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. presented awards to the winners in the Annual Essex County Forest Friends Feeder Contest. Winners were awarded in Group/Family, Professional, Adult and Youth categories.
“We congratulate the winners of the Essex County Forest Friends Feeder Contest and thank all the contestants for sharing their creativity and talent to create artwork that also provides food for our woodland neighbors,” DiVincenzo said. “Our Forest Friends Feeder Contest is a wonderful activity that incorporated our mission to raise awareness about nature and environmental issues with a winter theme. This hands-on, family-oriented contest let people of all ages learn about our wetland forest friends and their environment in a fun educational way,” he added.
Awards were presented as follows:
People’s Choice Award
- Miranda Courtright, a student at Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology, received the People’s Choice Award.
Youth Category
- Michael Yildirim from Parsippany was awarded first place.
- Ursa Brondo from West Orange was awarded second place.
- Sage Yildirim from Parsippany was awarded third place.
Adult Category
- Tamiyah Martinez, a student at Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology, was awarded first place.
- Miranda Courtright, a student at Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology, was awarded second place.
- Kylie Labbe, a student at Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology, was awarded third place.
Group/Family Category
- The 4-H Young Gardeners Club based in Roseland was awarded first place.
- The Yildirim family from Parsippany was awarded second place.
- The DeFrank family from South Orange was awarded third place.
Professional Category
- The Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology team of Karen Velasquez, Rafael Velez and Imani Fraser was awarded first place.
- The Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology team of Kate Lazo, Maribel Vizhnay and Shaylee Lemus was awarded second place.
- The Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology team of Antoinette Desir, Sadiah Murray and Viyenah Boundurant was awarded third place.
Participants were asked to create edible, festive and unique wetland wildlife feeder for an outdoor exhibit at the Essex County Environmental Center. Entries were on display during the month of December.
The contest was sponsored by Manhattan Bagel of Roseland, Meyers Dolls, Toys and Hobbies from Livingston, Hyssop Beauty Apothecary of Nutley, ShopRite of West Caldwell, Glass Roots from Newark, Twice is Nice from East Hanover, the Zoological Society from West Orange and Aramark from West Orange.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, two miniature golf courses, golf driving range, six off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.