By Madeleine SutherlandRecord Staff WriterThe Warren County Health Department recently announced the winners of its Healthy Eating and Active Living Art Contest.The purpose of the contest was to promote healthy and active lifestyles for the people of Warren County through the artwork of middle school students in the community.“We decided to involve the middle school kids because we want them to have a voice in our efforts to encourage healthy eating and active living in Warren County,” said Stacey White, public health nurse and educator for the Warren County Health Department.“It is a way to give them a sense of ownership in our efforts and by creating artwork they showed how they interpret healthy eating and active living. It gives us a better understanding of how to reach that group in our population.”Students were provided with canvases from the health department to complete their unique artwork. Pieces completed by students were displayed at the Warren County Fitness Center in downtown Warrenton. Community members were able to vote on the pieces they liked best.Three winners were chosen from both middle schools in Warren County.The Black Hawk Middle School winners were Victoria Crossen, first place; Sedalia Vaugh, second place; and Abi Owenby, third place. The top three finishers from Wright City Middle School were Mikayla Burke, first place; Jaylen Leonard, second place; and Reiss Baumann, third place.The health department received over 60 entries from both schools.Prizes for the competition include a season pass to Six Flags St. Louis and tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals game with concessions.“Our other purpose was to get local artwork to display in our new fitness center location,” said White. “It gives kids a real sense of pride and accomplishment when they know their art will be on public display.”All submitted student artwork will be kept by the Warren County Health Department to decorate its facilities.

The winning pieces of the Warren County Health Department’s Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle student art contest are pictured above. Local middle school students were asked to promote health and wellness in their submitted work. Submitted photo.