Davidson Academy student Maya Park-Weber, from Reno, placed first in the National Radon Poster Contest after taking home first place in the Nevada Radon Poster Contest. She competed against student winners from 15 other states and will receive $1,000 for her poster, “Radon Can Cause Lung Cancer.”

University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Radon Education Program conducts the Nevada Radon Poster Contest each year to educate students and their families on the dangers of radon in the home and to encourage Nevadans to test their homes for radon, a radioactive, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that comes from the ground. Radon can accumulate in homes and can cause lung cancer.

In addition to $1,000, Park-Weber received a $75 gift card to a store of her choice for placing first in the statewide contest. Her teacher, Rebecca Coleman, received a $50 gift card for classroom supplies.

This marks the fifth year out of the past six years that a Nevada student has placed in the top three of the national contest.

 

“I was thrilled to hear that Maya’s poster won first place in the national contest,” said Susan Howe, Nevada Radon Education Program director. “It’s a great honor to have won the Nevada contest against all of the other posters, but winning the national contest is very hard to do. Our program has submitted its winning posters to the national contest since 2010, so it is an honor to have national winners amongst our Nevada winners.”

Las Vegas student Meghna Pramoda, from the Davidson Online Academy, placed second in the statewide contest with her poster, “Lurking Warning.” She received a $60 gift card, and her teacher, Elizabeth Verano, received a $35 gift card for classroom supplies. Canarelli Middle School’s Jamie Chu, from Las Vegas, placed third in the statewide contest and received a $45 gift card for her poster, “Radon Kills,” and her teacher, Samantha Barry, received a $20 gift card for classroom supplies.

This is the 12th year that the Nevada Radon Education Program has held the Nevada Radon Poster Contest, open to children ages 9 to 14, which determines the state winner who is then allowed to compete in the national contest. The Nevada contest is sponsored by the Nevada Radon Education Program; University of Nevada, Reno Extension; the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This year's Nevada Radon Poster Contest had 83 entries. The winning posters were chosen by votes from personnel from University of Nevada, Reno Extension; the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources; Nevada Radon Education Program; Nevada's radon industry; program partners; and Facebook Likes.

Extension, the EPA and the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health urge all Nevadans to test their homes for radon, and University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering free short-term radon test kits to Nevadans through Feb. 28. Radon test kits are available at Extension offices and partnering locations statewide. For more information, call the Radon Hotline at 1-888-RADON10 (1-888-723-6610) or visit the Nevada Radon Education Program website.