SWEET HOME, Ore. -- Sweet Home has received a grant from the non-profit Oregon Community Trees to help it promote interest in trees among local youth. Throughout April, first through sixth-grade Sweet Home students can participate in Sweet Home's annual Arbor Day Poster Contest. Entries will be on display at the local library. Members of the public will get to vote for their favorites.

One first place winner and one grand prize winner in each of two grade divisions will receive an award certificate and a tree to be planted by their entire class on the grounds of the winning student's school.

In addition, junior high and high school students may compete in the Photo and Art Contest Category for their chance to win an award certificate and gift cards to local businesses. The winners' artwork will be posted on the City's website.

The Oregon Community Trees grant funding will be used to purchase trees for the elementary school winners and to provide each winner an individual tree?themed prize from the Arbor Day Foundation to remind them of their urban forest.

Oregon Community Trees promotes healthy urban and community forests. The organization assists community groups, local governments and schools throughout the state with expertise and grants that support leadership, education, awareness and advocacy for urban and community forestry. One criteria for receiving an Arbor Week grant is being a Tree City USA, a status Sweet Home has held for 31 years.
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