Way to go: Port Washington students sweep poster contest
Leah Dong's poster took first place. Credit: Port Washington School District
Three students from Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School in Port Washington swept the top spots statewide in a poster contest coordinated by the New York State Department of Health.
Eighth-graders Leah Dong, Eva Krell and Ben Ollendorff placed first, second and third, respectively, in this year's New York State Radon Poster Contest, which strives to raise awareness about the harmful effects of elevated levels of indoor radon gas and to increase the number of homes tested for radon.
Leah's first-place poster was an illustration of a computer screen with several windows sharing facts about radon.
"Radon is naturally formed when radioactive metals break down in soil, rocks or groundwater," Leah wrote. "Annually, radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths."
Eva's second-place poster displayed facts about radon in vibrant colors, while Ben's third-place poster featured three houses and asked viewers to identify which one has radon.
"Answer: You cannot tell which house has radon, because radon can't be detected by human senses," Ben wrote.
Leah won a $100 gift card, while Eva and Ben won $50 gift cards.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
