The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) Research and Education Foundation and Scholastic announced the winners of the TurfMutt national “The (Really) Great Outdoors” contest. There were over 2,700 contest submissions.

Robert Healy School in Chicago, Ill.

• Lauren Wu, a 6th grade student at Robert Healy School, won the $2,500 grand prize. Her essay and illustration is about creating a community green space for her urban neighborhood. Wu’s outdoor space features an oak tree; a tree house stocked with books for reading; swings; zip lines; seating areas; flowers; shrubs; and grass. It is designed to be inclusive so it serves everyone in the neighborhood,

“People, plants, and animals live together in harmony here,” wrote Wu in her entry. Wu’s teacher, Nicole Hauser, and the school will each receive a $750 cash prize.

Franklin Township Middle School East in Indianapolis, Ind.

• Hope Wheatley, an 8th grader at Franklin Township Middle School East, won first place and a $2,000 cash prize. Wheatley created a comic strip that featured characters working together to design a community garden. Her teacher, Kelly Barnes, and the school will each receive a $500 cash prize.

The annual contest is part of the TurfMutt environmental stewardship and education program. It teaches students in grades K–8 to care for our living landscapes and appreciate their benefits. The program is marking its 10th anniversary in 2019.

The program’s educational materials are free and support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) standards for grades K–8. The TurfMutt environmental education program, funded and managed by OPEI’s Research and Education Foundation, has reached 68 million students, teachers, and families since 2009.

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