Zippel Elementary School fifth-grader
‘rocks’ dental health poster contest
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Eleven-year-old Madison Michaud’s dental health poster really rocks. In fact, judges liked it so much that she earned first-place honors in Aroostook County and placed second in the state.
MADISON MICHAUD, 11, a fifth-grader at Zippel Elementary School, recently earned first place in the Aroostook County dental health poster contest, and placed second in the state. She said her winning poster depicts teeth on stage “rocking out on guitars” to an audience of teeth with a security guard preventing plaque from entering. 
“First I did something else, but I didn’t like it so I changed the idea and I liked it a lot better,” said Michaud, a fifth-grader in Melissa Buck’s class at Zippel Elementary School. “Since the theme was ‘Rock Your Smile!’ I drew teeth on stage rocking out on guitars. The security guard on the side is saying ‘Stop’ to the plaque and not letting them in. There’s also an audience of teeth.”
For winning the Aroostook County division, which was sponsored by the Aroostook County Action Program, Michaud received $50 to spend on a healthy classroom party or activity.
“We made healthy smoothies like mixed berry, blueberry and strawberry,” she said, “and played dodge ball in the gym. It was fun.”
As the second-place winner in the Maine Statewide Poster Contest, sponsored by the Maine Oral Health Program, Michaud received a gift basket and a certificate.
“It has a tube of toothpaste that you can decorate, a toothbrush that lights up, spins and glows in the dark, dental floss, a timer and a pamphlet about how to properly brush your teeth,” she said.
Done in observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month, Buck said all the students submitted a poster.
“During health class, we talked about dental health during the month of February and they worked on the posters,” said Buck. “Madison’s the first of my students to do this well. I’m very proud of her.”
A student in the school’s Gifted and Talented art program, Michaud was shocked to learn that she had done so well in the contests.
“I thought it was a joke at first,” she said. “Mrs. Buck got an e-mail and printed it out and showed me and it said that I won the county division. With the state contest, Mrs. Buck got an e-mail and she read it out loud to the whole class. I was like, ‘Really … is that true?’
“After it sunk in, I was really happy,” said Michaud. “My parents were very excited and happy for me and said I did a great job. This is the best I’ve done in an art contest before.”
Michaud has some dental advice for people of all ages.
“Take good care of your teeth, and don’t let them get bad,” she said.
Michaud, the daughter of Kristan and Chuck Michaud of Presque Isle, said she’s going to frame her winning poster and hang it in the family room in the basement.
Other Aroostook County winners were: Grades 3-4: Hana Boucher, Zippel Elementary School, second place; and Grades 5-6: Katelyn White, Easton Elementary School, second place. Statewide winners included: Kindergarten: Maggie McQuade, Easton Elementary School, first place; Grades 1-2: Abigayle Williams, Pine Street Elementary School, first place; and Grades 5-6: Katelyn White, Easton Elementary School, first place.
