SPRINGDALE — A conservation video from Springdale’s Walker Elementary School won a national contest.
Officials from National Geographic announced Tuesday second-graders from Walker won the Find Your Footprint conservation education contest.
“Wow,” said Mason Zelinski, a student who participated in the contest. “I had no idea we won.”
Web Watch
Conservation Video
The Walker Elementary video that won the Find Your Footprint national conservation education contest can be watched at
The contest was sponsored by Procter & Gamble Future Friendly, National Geographic and Promethean interactive whiteboards.
“The children were to pick an environmental problem and find a solution to help their community,” said Fran Downey, of National Geographic.
The video, “Helping the World and Saving Our Future,” was made by the second-grade teachers. The teachers used ideas from their students who also performed in the video, said Betsy Wright, second-grade teacher.
The film, made last fall, features short scenes with students holding message signs. The messages said to close doors and turn off lights, make fewer copies, use less water and reuse containers.
The signs are put together at the end to form a picture of the planet.
Music was dubbed over the scenes and the video submitted, Wright said.
“There was no editing, no reshoots,” Wright said. “What we sent was all raw footage.”
Elementary schools from throughout the country submitted three-minute films about ways to reduce impact on the environment. Contest judges narrowed the entries to six finalists, which included Walker. A public Internet vote determined the winner.
“It wasn’t just national voting,” said Superintendent Jim Rollins. “Kids were telling me people in China voted in this.”
The 30-day voting period, which ended in March, became harrowing for Wright, she said.
“I was telling everyone to vote,” Wright said. “I’d get up every morning and check the totals.”
Wright said she thought the school had won, but didn’t know until contest officials started making arrangements to come to the school. A crew from National Geographic filmed the announcement.
Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said God had blessed Springdale with a wonderful environment for its residents.
“It’s very important to take care of where we live,” Sprouse said.
The class won five Promethean whiteboards, library and educational materials and 30 subscriptions to National Geographic. The message of the contest was more important to the children, however.
“We all have a job,” Zelinski said. “Everyone needs to recycle and pick up trash.”