For immediate release: April 15, 2024 (24-042)
Contact: DOH Communications
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) congratulates the winners of the 2024 Northwest Radon Poster Contest. The contest is an opportunity for nine to 14-year-olds to creatively raise awareness of the harmful effects of elevated indoor radon levels and promote testing and mitigation of radon gas.
“We appreciate each student who participated. Every submission helped make this year’s contest a success. Special thanks to the teachers, youth groups, and families who supported their youth’s participation,” said Gary Garrety, Radon Program Director, DOH.
A team of radon specialists from across the Northwest evaluated posters for accuracy, reproducibility, visual communication, and originality. The first-place poster from each state will be submitted to the 2025 National Radon Poster Contest.
Washington’s winning posters can be viewed on our radon poster webpage.
- 1st Place – Lin Spichiger, age 10, Shelton
- 2nd Place – Daphne Sayigh, age 11, Seattle
- 3rd Place – Vivian Truitt, age 11, Seattle
- Regional Grand Prize – Lin Spichiger, age 10, Shelton
The Northwest Radon Poster Contest is sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Nez Perce Tribe, Oregon Health Authority, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and DOH in collaboration with the Northwest Radon Coalition and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. It comes from the radioactive decay of radium, an element found in most rocks and soils. Radon can enter a building from the ground underneath it and concentrate to tens or even hundreds of times the level in outdoor air.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, causing about 20,000 deaths each year nationwide.
The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and follow us on X (formerly Twitter). Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection.
###