MOUNT VERNON — March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and that gave the Knox County community a great opportunity to create awareness, learn more about inclusion and share the stories of individuals who live, work and thrive in our county.
While the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities and its various provider agency partners are active year-round in providing service and support for those with developmental disabilities, March is a particularly fun time for us to highlight the important roles that individuals with developmental disabilities have within the fabric of our great community.
The board would like to thank the elementary school students of Knox County for helping us celebrate. There were 1,132 students who participated in our annual coloring (K-second grade) and essay (third-fifth grades) contest with 111 classrooms participating county-wide, representing 12 elementary schools in Knox County.
We are proud to announce the winners of this year’s coloring contest: Lexie Small (Fredericktown), Calla Newmeyer (East Knox), Olivia Armstrong (Columbia), Brylie Huff (Pleasant St.), Peyton Shirk (East), Priscilla “Izzie” Wood (Danville), Ethan Vanslyke (Knox Learning Center), Avery Branham (Dan Emmett), Lyllian Clawson (Twin Oak), Josie Michalak (Centerburg), Ava Lybarger (St. Vincent de Paul) and Lydia Quinn (Wiggin St.).
The winners of this year’s essay contest are: Natalie Sharp (Fredericktown), Lexter Rocha (East Knox), Jaret Armstrong (Columbia), John Arndt (Knox Learning Center), Owen Burgess (Pleasant St.), Guinevere Rose Brady (East), Peyton Bartok (Danville), Sophia Maddux (Dan Emmett), Michelle Packard (Twin Oak), Sam Hand (Centerburg) and Brock Sabo (Wiggin St.).
Also, congratulations to Mrs. Aimee Humphrey from Twin Oak Elementary for winning the teacher classroom prize this year.
