FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 02, 2012


Two Sikeston elementary students win statewide earthquake poster contest; Award presentation and earthquake drill demonstration are Wednesday, March 7

Poster contest promotes Missouri earthquake preparedness and participation in "Great Central U.S. ShakeOut" earthquake drill

Two Sikeston elementary school students are among three statewide winners of Missouri's earthquake awareness poster contest and will be recognized on Wednesday, March 7.  Third-grader Chloe Apurado and fourth-grader Selena Priggel, students at Saint Francis Xavier School in Sikeston, took the top prizes in their grades for their posters showing the best way for people to protect themselves in an earthquake. 

Media are invited to attend the award presentation and a highly visual demonstration of the "Drop, Cover, Hold On" technique of self-protection that the posters help promote. State Emergency Management Agency and local officials, and a member of the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission, will take part in the award ceremony and lead the Drop, Cover, Hold On earthquake drill demonstration. 
Date:               Wednesday, March 7 Time:              10 a.m. Location:        Saint Francis Xavier School, 106 N. Stoddard, Sikeston
SEMA and the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission sponsored the "Show-Me ShakeOut" Poster Contest to promote the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, a nine-state earthquake drill that was held Feb. 7.  More than 450,000 Missourians were among more than 2.4 million people that participated throughout the region. February is also earthquake awareness month in Missouri, and Feb. 7 was the 200th anniversary of the Great New Madrid Quake of 1812, the largest ever to strike the region.
Third, fourth and fifth grade students across Missouri participated in the contest, with one winner from each grade receiving a $50 gift card as well as Red Cross emergency response supplies for their classrooms. The winning posters will be displayed on SEMA's Web site and used to help promote earthquake awareness throughout 2012 and leading up to next year's Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill.
For more information on earthquake history, geology and preparedness in Missouri, please visit the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency at www.sema.dps.mo.gov and click on "Earthquakes.”

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For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov