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FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2015) – The Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts, in partnership with the Kentucky Farm Bureau, has announced the winners of the 2014 Jim Claypool Art and Conservation Writing Contest entitled: “The Soil Daily Times.” Students in grades 1-5 used the soil theme to create 47,356 art entries; students in grades 6-12 created 17,028 writing entries. These entries were submitted to local conservation districts so that a county winner could be chosen. From the county winners, area and state winners were chosen in both categories by a distinguished group of judges from many different aspects of environmental backgrounds. “Kentucky’s students have been learning about Kentucky’s natural resources and participating in this contest since 1944,” said Kimberly Richardson, director of the Kentucky Division of Conservation. “This contest about Kentucky’s soil is an important foundation for learning about the Commonwealth’s resources.” The state winners in the Jim Claypool Art Contest are:  Lilakay Salmons, 10, state winner, Johnson County;  Julie Park, 11, state runner-up, Taylor County; and,  Anna Kate Alexander, 8, third, Barren County. Area winners are Kelly James, Caldwell County (Area 1); Ronnie Cockrell, Butler County (Area 2); Kailey Payne, Breckinridge County (Area 3); Bryleigh Clutts, Nelson County (Area 4); Skylar Noyes, Henry County (Area 5); Silas Feeback, Bourbon County (Area 6); Nikki Seals, Jackson County (Area 7); Victoria Penix, Lawrence County (Area 8); and Tori Pennington, Letcher County (Area 9). The state winners in the Conservation Writing Contest are:  Jason Blake Warrens, 14, state winner, Floyd County;  Benjamin Kinsey, 12, state runner-up, Grant County; and  David Vincent, 13, state third, Nelson County. Area winners are Zack East, Caldwell County (Area 1); Clay Henderson, Todd County (Area 2); Morgan Askins, Warren County (Area 3); Luke Morrison, Oldham County (Area 4); Aidan Kane, Campbell County (Area 5); Hannah Rebecca Tirlea, Scott County (Area 6); Abigail Marie Jones, Knox County (Area 7); Mikaela Minor, Rowan County (Area 8); and Jay Phillips, Harlan County (Area 9). The Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts State and the Kentucky Farm Bureau will honor area winners at the Kentucky Conservation Committee’s Biodiversity Day, which will take place at 1 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Capital Annex in Frankfort. State, area and county winners will receive a monetary award from Kentucky Farm Bureau and recognition from their local conservation districts.