2021 DD Awareness Month Coloring and Essay Contest

March was Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and that gave the Knox County community a great opportunity to create awareness, to learn more about inclusion and to share in the stories of individuals who live, work and thrive in our county. While the County Board of DD and its various provider agency partners are active year round in providing service and supports for those with developmental disabilities, March was a particularly fun time for us to highlight the important roles that individuals with developmental disabilities have within the fabric of our great community.

The Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities would like to thank the elementary school students of Knox County for helping us celebrate. There were one thousand and eighteen children who participated in our annual coloring (K-2nd grades) and essay (3rd-5th grades) contest with one hundred and one classrooms participating county-wide, representing twelve different elementary schools in Knox County.

We are proud to announce the winners of this year’s coloring contest (K-2nd grades): Kehley Short, Grayden McDonald, Lydia Harrod, Norah Fehrman, Garrett Donaldson, Sophia Baker, Luke Russell, Kiarra Pettigrew, Arianna Keen, Abby Fisher and Brynn Green. The winners of this year’s essay contest (3rd-5th grades) were: Reese Canterbury, Ellie Schonauer, Kyleigh Woods, Kristian McGinnis, McKenzie Sparks, Ethan Taylor, Hailey Elliott, Chase McKay, Parker Bundy, Dakota Mickley, Charlie Ross and Sulley Zimmerman. Also congratulations to Mrs. Betsy Sabo from Wiggin Street Elementary for winning the classroom prize this year.

Below are all of the winning essays and coloring pages! Some schools and families have submitted photos of the students, which are also included. If your child would like to have their picture included, please email it to bcoon@knoxdd.com and we’ll add it to our blog!