Ridgefield Students Celebrate U-Haul with Art Projects, Prizes

RIDGEFIELD, Wash. – Shelby Tanner was eagerly awaiting her name to be announced.

She stood toward the back of the room in her denim jacket as fellow students collected their prizes. When Tanner’s time came, the Grade Union Ridge Elementary sixth-grader was practically on her tiptoes ready to begin her brisk walk to the front. Her grin grew to a full-blown smile as she accepted her first-place prize.

Sixth-grader Shelby Tanner’s winning entry at the Ridgefield Heritage Day Art Contest, sponsored by U-Haul.

In conjunction with U-Haul Company’s 70th anniversary and Ridgefield’s Heritage Day Celebration on Sept. 12, Ridgefield (Wash.) School District hosted a student art contest sponsored by U-Haul.

Ridgefield School District students in all grades were invited to create videos and/or art projects featuring themes about why it’s great to move to and/or live in Ridgefield, the birthplace of U-Haul.

Riley Matthews (fifth grade, Grade Union Ridge Elementary) took second place; Spencer Shanahan (first grade, Grade South Ridge Elementary) garnered third; and Kelsey Denson (eighth grade, Grade View Ridge Middle) received honorable mention in the art category.

Gwen Bruck and J’Lyn Davies collaborated to win the video contest.

The students were given their prizes and recognized before a packed room of Ridgefield residents at the town’s community center on Saturday afternoon. U-Haul capped off the ceremony by presenting the Ridgefield School District’s youth arts program an additional monetary donation.

For more on U-Haul history check out our other articles here.

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