BRISTOL — Four Bristol Elementary School third-graders and their families traveled to Montpelier on Nov. 8 to celebrate their winning artwork that was created for the 2020 Robert Howe Fire Safety Calendar Contest. Organized each year by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, this contest promotes fire safety throughout the state.
Congratulations to the BES winners: Una Steele and Mae Cannon, and to Honorable Mentions: Sarah Zelonis and Delia Park.
Each year the calendar has a total of 13 winners and 13 honorable mentions. This year there were more than 3,500 entries from 45 schools from all over Vermont. The awards ceremony was held in the House Chambers in Vermont Statehouse. Winners received a teddy bear and each winner and honorable mention received a bag of fire safety goodies. Gov. Phil Scott was present to congratulate each winner, and Sparky the Dog and Smokey Bear were also in attendance.
The BES students created their posters during art class with visual arts teacher Deb Mager Rickner. 
Annual Fire Safety Calendar and Poster Contest for third-graders provides a focused learning experience when children prepare fire prevention posters for each month of the calendar.
Calendars are printed with donations from a group of dedicated sponsors who believe fire safety education reduces fire related injuries and deaths and believes education starts with educating one of our most vulnerable age groups. In the 27 years of the program, more than 495,000 fire safety calendars have been given to elementary school children delivering daily fire safety messages and bestowing reminders to thousands of families across the state.