The 2003 Hazardous Weather Awareness Poster Contest was sponsored by:

• Florida Emergency Preparedness Association
• Florida's American Red Cross Chapters
• Florida's National Weather Service Offices
• Jacksonville Forecast Office
• Key West Forecast Office
• Melbourne Forecast Office
• Miami / South Florida Forecast Office
• Mobile / Pensacola Forecast Office
• Tallahassee Forecast Office
• Tampa Bay Forecast Office
• State of Florida Division of Emergency Management
• State of Florida Department of Education

Any fourth or fifth grader in Florida could submit their poster to be judged in this statewide contest. The contest was part of the 2003 Hazardous Weather Awareness Week activities.

	Let the JUDGING begin. Bob Goree from the National Weather Service (center) and Stephanie Abrams (left) from WTXL Channel 27 begin sorting through the 217 posters that were received from 11 counties from throughout Florida. Judging for the contest was held on Friday February 14 at the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.
	Posters were first grouped by counties, then the best poster from each county was chosen. The posters were judged on both the weather awareness message and the artwork.
	The judges took their time to review each and every poster.
	The artwork of many of the posters was outstanding for that age group. Bob Goree (center) from the National Weather Service and Mathew Green (holding poster) from the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management admires one of the more that 200 posters.
	Judging all of the posters was a real joy and a very tiring experience. Here Gary Botts spreads additional posters out on the floor for the judges to review.
	And then there were thirteen (13) finalists as the judges break for lunch.
	Over lunch the judges narrow the finalist down to four (4).
	After two (2) hours of judging, the First, Second and Third place posters along with ten (10) runners-up were chosen. The judges represented the American Red Cross, National Weather Services, State of Florida Division of Emergency Management, State of Florida Department of Education, Florida Emergency Preparedness Association along with WCTV Channel 6 and WTXL Channel 27 meteorologists.
	FIRST PLACE - Lightning Safety by Jordyn Smith a fourth grade student at Summers Elementary School in Lake City.
	SECOND PLACE - Rip Current Safety by Haya Mitri a fourth grade student at Resurrection Parrish School in Jacksonville.
	THIRD PLACE - Hurricane Safety by Josh Powell a fifth grade student at Antioch Elementary in Crestview.
	Craig Fugate Director of the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management welcomes everyone to the Hazardous Weather Awareness Poster Contest Press Conference held on January 17 in the rotunda of the State Capital.
	Paul Duval with the Tallahassee Forecast Office of the National Weather Services discusses the types of severe weather that Floridians face.
	Four of the poster contest runners-up receive their NOAA Weather Radio.

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