Senior Nathaniel Curtis received first place for his poem about a dead turtle he saw on his trip to Hawaii and the contrast between the turtle and the colorful reef, and junior Gage Giunta received second place for his word essay in the Audubon Society’s annual Nature Connection Contest at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. This contest was created  in an attempt to make students help preserve the environment and show respect towards nature. Board members of the Space Coast Audubon Society spent hours going through thousands of entries from students throughout Brevard County.

The works will be on display at the vistor center from April 4-10.