Snohomish boy shares brother’s poster skill

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 13, 2004

SNOHOMISH — David Zander, 11, started planning his tree poster four years ago after his brother, Jonathan, won a national poster contest.

His hard work paid off. David, a home-schooled Snohomish fifth-grader, just won the 2004 Arbor Day National Poster Contest. Jonathan Zander, 15, won the same contest in 2000.

"I was amazed that I was following in my brother’s footsteps," David said.

His brother wasn’t surprised.

"I was expecting him to win, because he put so much thought into it," Jonathan said.

More than 70,000 fifth-grade classrooms around the nation participated in the contest this year. The theme was "Trees Are Terrific … in Cities and Towns."

David spent about three days developing the winning poster, which features a park scene against a background of skyscrapers. He will unveil the poster design at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Arbor Day, April 30.

His poster and winning posters from other state contests will be displayed in an art exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden through May 23. David’s poster also will be on the National Arbor Day Foundation’s Web site at http://arborday.org, beginning April 30.

In addition to traveling to the nation’s Capitol, David and his parents will receive an expenses-paid trip to Nebraska City, Neb., home of Arbor Day, where they will participate in the National Awards Weekend April 30-May 2.

David also will receive a $1,000 savings bond and a lifetime membership in the National Arbor Day Foundation.