Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – The winners of the My Natural State Story contest winners were announced this week, with a Jonesboro student included among them.

The contest – launched by the Governor’s Office in August alongside the Arkansas Department of Education, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, and the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism – invited Arkansas students to share personal stories of their outdoor experience and encourage increased time outside.

“Arkansas is blessed with some of the most beautiful and accessible outdoor spaces in the country, and these students captured what makes the Natural State so special,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a news release. “Their stories remind us that getting outside builds confidence, strengthens families and communities, and creates memories that last a lifetime. I’m proud to recognize these students and grateful to the families, educators, agencies, and outdoor partners who helped make this contest possible.”

The release said students were to submit their entry into one of seven categories: hunting, fishing, boating or paddling, climbing, cycling or mountain biking, camping, and hiking. Since the contest’s launch in August to the final submission day of Oct. 12, it received over 1,800 essay submissions.

From there, entries were sorted into the junior age category, which encompassed ages 10-13, or the senior age category, which encompassed ages 14-17. Judges selected one winner from each age group in each of the seven categories. One student from each age group was received the contest’s highest honor “My Natural State Story of the Year,” resulting in 16 winners in total.

“Judges looked for essays that brought Arkansas outdoors to life, describing a clear sense of place, the student’s active engagement in the outdoor activity in the entered category and what happened along the way, and a reflection that clearly and honestly explained why the experience mattered,” the news release said.

Cooper Rich, a student at Valley View Middle School, was the junior winner of My Natural State Story of the Year for the entry “Where’s Waldo?” which can be read here.

For this win, Rich received an Arkansas Game and Fish Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lifetime License; and a $500 gift and experience package provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism.

Rich was also the junior winner for the hunting category, also for “Where’s Waldo?” and won a prize pack provided by Banded.

“What started as writing practice for an upcoming class assignment turned into an award-winning story about his great-grandparents’ hunting land and the special memories he has made there,” the Valley View School District said in a social media post. “Cooper even had the incredible opportunity to hear the Governor of Arkansas read his story aloud!”

“We are so proud of Cooper for sharing a meaningful piece of his family’s history and representing Valley View so well!” the district added.

Rich’s essay mentions stopping at a gas station for a Coke and Moonpie before heading out to hunt. The district noted that during the awards ceremony, Coke and Moonpie were served in honor of his essay.

The other winners and from across the state and what they won are listed below:

  • My Natural State Story of the Year, Senior: “My State Parks Story” – Payton Tolliver, STEAM for the Next Generation High School – Arkansas Game and Fish Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lifetime License; $500 gift and experience package provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism.
  • Hunting, Senior: “This Ground” – Jett Sparks, homeschool – Banded prize pack, provided by Banded.
  • Fishing, Junior: “The Dark Night Giant” – Kaddo Staggs, Centerpoint Elementary School – $1,000 PRADCO Fishing prize pack, provided by PRADCO Fishing.
  • Fishing, Senior: “What Fishing Really Means” – Ezra Snyder, Bentonville High School – $1,000 PRADCO Fishing prize pack, provided by PRADCO Fishing.
  • Boating/Paddling, Junior: “Sunset on the Lake” – Reagan Souder, Mountain Home Christian Academy – Arkansas Canoe Club prize pack, including a life jacket, helmet, and fees for river school for two for the younger division or a choice of river or whitewater school for two for the older division, provided by the Arkansas Canoe Club.
  • Boating/Paddling, Senior: “The Secret to Finding Stillness on Beaver Lake” – Olivia Kholos, Rogers High School– Arkansas Canoe Club prize pack, including a life jacket, helmet, and fees for river school for two for the younger division or a choice of river or whitewater school for two for the older division, provided by the Arkansas Canoe Club.
  • Climbing, Junior: “Climbing Story” – Kinley Pickett, Southside Middle School – Two-night stay at an Arkansas State Parks lodge and two passes for a guided climb or via ferrata, provided by State Parks and Frontier Climbing.
  • Climbing, Senior: “RaLynn Sharp”– RaLynn Sharp, Acorn High School – Two-night stay at an Arkansas State Parks lodge and two passes for a guided climb or via ferrata, provided by State Parks and Frontier Climbing.
  • Cycling/Mountain Biking, Junior: “Riding Rose Creek Trail” – Avery Ellis, Christ Little Rock School – OZ Trails Bike Park family day pass, USA Cycling prize pack, and an Ozark Trail Mountain Bike, provided by OZ Trails Bike Park, USA Cycling, and Ozark Trail Bike.
  • Cycling/Mountain Biking, Senior: “Together in This” – Estera Cretiu, Homeschool – OZ Trails Bike Park family day pass, USA Cycling prize pack, and an Ozark Trail Mountain Bike, provided by OZ Trails Bike Park, USA Cycling, and Ozark Trail Bike.
  • Camping, Junior: “Sleeping Under the Stars” – Emma Buccille, Cedarville Middle School – Two-night stay at an Arkansas State Parks campground or camper cabin of choice and a PackRat tent and sleeping bag, provided by State Parks and PackRat.
  • Camping, Senior: “This is Amazing” – Zander Schoultz, Lakeside High School – Two-night stay at an Arkansas State Parks campground or camper cabin of choice and a PackRat tent and sleeping bag, provided by State Parks and PackRat.
  • Hiking, Junior: “The Hike That Changed My View of Nature” – Reagan Morris, Lincoln Junior High School – Family pass for four to Crater of Diamonds and Gearhead prize pack, provided by State Parks and Gearhead.
  • Hiking, Senior: “My State Parks Story” – Payton Tolliver, STEAM for the Next Generation High School – Family pass for four to Crater of Diamonds and Gearhead prize pack, provided by State Parks and Gearhead.

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