The entries received from local fourth and fifth grade students for the 2021 Connecticut Fire Prevention Poster Recognition Program are on view at Newtown Community Center.

Originally intended for display through Sunday, January 16, the collection will remain on view until the close of business Monday, January 17. Deputy Fire Marshal Jamilynn Zapata who coordinated the contest for this year’s students, contacted The Newtown Bee on January 10 to confirm the one-day extension.

The public can view the collection any time the community center is open: Monday through Thursday, 6 am-9 pm; Friday, 6 am-8 pm; Saturday, 7 am-5:30 pm; and Sunday, 7 am-5 pm. The center will be open on MLK Jr Day, which is one of the reasons it will remain on view the additional day.

The annual statewide program is open to all public, private, and parochial children in grades 4 and 5. The collection on view at Newtown Community Center shares the creative work of more than 40 children, representing students from each of the elementary schools, Reed Intermediate School (RIS), Fraser Woods School, Housatonic Valley Waldorf School (HVWS), St Rose of Lima School, and at least one homeschool student, according to Zapata.

HVWS fourth grade student Christopher Washington and RIS fifth grade student Kenneth Miller were announced last week as the winners of their respective grades. Their posters, along with the others received for this year’s competition, are on view in the main corridor of Newtown Community Center.

Kenneth’s poster shows a man in the center of the poster, considering fire safety, leading with the man thinking “Don’t be scared. Be prepared.” In each of the four corners of his poster, Kenneth illustrated elements of fire safety: Don’t Smoke, Replace Batteries (in smoke detectors), Know 2 Ways Out, and Have A Meet Up Spot.

Thomas’s entry depicts a woodland scene with an unattended campfire burning outside a cabin. The fire has spread to a few areas on nearby ground as well as on branches of two trees near the house.

A rabbit near the campfire is thinking “help!” and a black bear hiding behind an outhouse is thinking “We should do something about this!”

Both posters, per the contest criteria, include within their design the program theme of “Fire Prevention — Every One, Every Day.”

The boys each received a gift certificate from The Toy Tree and the promise of a ride to school in a fire truck.

Both posters, per the contest criteria, include the program theme within their design.

Christopher and Kenneth’s posters will now advance to county level competition. County levels then advance to state level competition, with the statewide winning poster reproduced and distributed as Connecticut Fire Prevention Poster.

The state winner will be announced in March, during a luncheon for all county winners. The 2021 winner was Chase Kopcza from Vernon.

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Associate Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.