(Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a five-part series.)
Oyster Festival Queen contestant Katie Brooke and her Little Miss Spat contestant Shannon Wilson hosted a poster competition for Middlesex County students during the 2019-2020 school year in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The title of their project was, “Go Green To Help Keep Middlesex Clean.”
Participants had to design a poster that showed how they were going to help keep Middlesex clean. The minimum poster size was 8.5 by 11 inches and the maximum poster size was 18 by 24 inches. On the back of their poster, participants had to write three to six sentences that described what they drew, and how that helped keep the county clean. Also, contestants were required to pick up trash in their neighborhood, on their street or wherever they decided in Middlesex.
Posters were judged based on creativity, the written explanation of the design, and how well directions were followed. On the front of the poster, participants were to include, “Go Green To Help Keep Middlesex Clean.” On the back of the poster, was the participant’s first and last name, school, current grade (i.e., 2019-2020 school year), age, and contact phone number. They encouraged people to use materials and supplies from their home to construct their poster; however, participants were welcome to get supplies from the store if needed.
Posters were judged by the art teachers in the Middlesex County Public Schools system, and participants and the winners were awarded a gift card from a local business or other companies. Participants had from June 4 to June 22 to complete their poster and trash clean up. The posters were dropped off at Middlesex High School on Tuesday, June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or at St. Clare Walker Middle School on Thursday, June 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Katie and Shannon encourage people to keep their property clean as it improves water quality, encourages visitors, and increases property values. As a part of their project, they picked up trash throughout Middlesex County. They reached out to real estate businesses, which sell properties in Middlesex County, for donations. Katie and Shannon greatly appreciated the generous donations they received and want to thank donors including Mason Realty, Michael Marketing, Erwin Realty, Dianne McNamee with Ches-Bay Realty, Price Properties, Elizabeth Johnson with Jim & Pat Carter Real Estate, Matthew Dunlevy with The Mike Chenault Group of Hometown Realty, Terri Hare Realtor, Will Vest with Long & Foster Real Estate, Ben Woodard-Real Estate, and Anthony Riedel with Keller Williams Williamsburg. They raised $725 and could not have been happier.
Shannon and Katie decided they wanted to make a poster as an example for people to follow. They spent many hours creating their poster and made many memories together.
In their poster, boys were planting trees, girls were recycling and picking up trash, and another girl was riding her bike instead of using a car. By recycling, picking up trash, planting trees and riding bikes, their poster showed how they were helping to “Go Green To Help Keep Middlesex Clean.”
Katie and the art teachers went to St. Clare Walker Middle School to determine the winners of their competition. They separated the posters by school, and they immediately eliminated the participants who didn’t adhere to the guidelines of the competition. While they had a difficult time deciding who the winners were, the posters that won were very unique and included creative ideas to keep the county clean. The gift cards they chose to award participants included ones for Bass Pro Shops, Amazon, Walmart, Something Different, Cool Beans Cafe, Bubba’s Shrimp Shack, Bethpage Miniature Golf and Ice Creamery, and River Birch.
Shannon and Katie cleaned five locations throughout Middlesex County. In Urbanna, they cleaned Cross Street and the marina, and collected two bags of trash. When they went to Hartfield, they collected two large bags and two small bags of trash on Stormont Road and Piankatank Shores. Next, they traveled to Deltaville and collected two bags of trash from the Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad building, Citgo and the Deltaville Convenience Center. Finally, they collected four bags of trash in Church View and Water View by the marina.
While their project took place, they had many ways to promote their project. They created flyers and displayed them at Urbanna Market, Deltaville Market and Something Different. Also, they created a Facebook page and everyone in the community could stay up-to-date with everything they did. The elementary school art teacher created a video with all the details about their project and sent it to all her students. The middle and high school art teachers posted Katie and Shannon’s flyer to Google Classroom, and their students were able to access instructions.
After Shannon and Kawie finished their poster competition, they decided to host a bake sale and yard sale at Saluda Baptist Church on July 18. Many people made baked goods to donate to their project which included: strawberry jam, pickles, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, pecans, muffins, pound cake, kahlua cake, brownies, rice crispy treats and rolls.
All of the money and donations they received supported Friends of the Rappahannock and the Restore Urbanna Creek Partnership. They chose to support Friends of the Rappahannock because its mission is to be the voice and active force for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River. At the end of the sale, they raised $910. The money they raised for that organization will help them purchase trees to plant and stop agricultural run-off, fund the Restore Urbanna Creek project, and provide educational videos and opportunities for children in school.
Katie has played volleyball at Middlesex High School since the eighth grade and she has been a member of the track and field team since the tenth grade. She attends Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School and is a member of the National and Spanish Honor Society.
In the eighth grade she worked as a goat milker and continued milking goats through the 10th grade. During her rising junior year summer, she worked at Bethpage Camp-Resort at the cafe and waitressed at Urbanna Seafood Market and Raw Bar. During her rising senior year summer, she babysat.
Katie maintains above a 4.0 grade point average. She has been awarded Director’s List recognition at Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School every semester and honor roll every nine weeks at the high school. Brooke has two internships that will take place during her senior year at Faber Orthodontics and at the dental office of Christopher Marshall, DDS. She plans to attend either Old Dominion University or Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue a degree in dental hygiene.
Katie is the daughter of Eddie and Karen Brooke, the granddaughter of Webster and Ellen Brooke, and the granddaughter of the late Donn Lindeman and the late Marion Lindeman.
Shannon Wilson, Katie’s Little Miss Spat contestant, is a first grade student at Chesapeake Academy. She is the daughter of Robbie and Katie Wilson, granddaughter of Bobby and Cindy Wilson, granddaughter of Jackson and Mary Ann McBroom, and sister to Thomas Wilson. Shannon enjoys playing with her dolls, climbing trees, and swimming. w
