Do you know a young person who is passionate about saving the environment and its creatures? Protect Our Pollinators (POP) wants to give them the platform to showcase their skills and knowledge through its Pollinator Poster Challenge.

POP is a nonprofit organization based in Newtown that is devoted to education and the conservation of pollinators and their habitats.

The Pollinator Poster Challenge previously ran in 2017, 2018, and 2019, but was temporarily halted in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.

This year, the Pollinator Poster Challenge has returned and is organized by POP members Christine St Georges and Laura Mitchell.

St Georges said that all pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students in Newtown have been invited to participate.

“We have also extended invitations to St Rose School, Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, and Fraser Woods Montessori School,” she said. “Any local parents and guardians who are homeschooling their children should please contact us to learn more and participate, as well.”

The poster initiative is a way for youth in Newtown to not only express themselves creatively, but also to learn about pollinators.

“Students can decide upon a pollinator that interests them and through fine arts — such as visual art, poetry, or songwriting — can create a poster display that teaches folks about their chosen pollinator,” St Georges said.

After the poster is complete, it can be dropped off at The Newtown Bee’s office at 5 Church Hill Road by Tuesday, May 31.

Once all the submissions are collected, they will be mounted and displayed at C.H. Booth Library, June 8-22, for the public to enjoy viewing. It will take place partially during National Pollinator week, which starts June 20.

“POP knows that we as people tend to protect what we know and love. POP invites people to think about and get to know different pollinators through this initiative,” St Georges said. “Then, as we go about our lives, we can find ourselves naturally making decisions that benefit and protect these keystone species for generations to come.”

For those who are interested in learning more about POP and its Pollinator Poster Challenge, e-mail propollinators@gmail.com or visit propollinators.org.

St Georges explained that the website is “a user-friendly resource packed with information that can help people create pollinator friendly yards. Folks can learn from researching there that they really can start small and get a lot in return from this small change. And once you start seeing the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies use your yard as a source of nectar and pollen, you will be delighted and you will have your very own theatre, too!”

POP also welcomes new members to join the group.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.