Blazing success

CASEY RESSLER

Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

A lot of Teeland Middle School students come to school in a car, but on Thursday, Kelly Moran caught a much bigger ride - a firetruck.

Moran won a poster design contest for the state Division of Forestry/Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildfire Prevention Week.

For having the best design among students from Anchorage, the Valley and the Kenai Peninsula, Moran got to ride around school in a fire truck, and deliver pizza to her classmates to celebrate.

Thursday morning, Moran's class emptied out of Teeland Middle School just as the fire engine and crew pulled up. After she was awarded a $500 savings bond and a framed certificate, it was time for the real fun.

Moran suited up and become an official member of the fire engine's crew before heading out onto the road.

Upon returning to Teeland, Moran then dished out pizza and drinks to her awaiting classmates.

Matt Weaver, a forestry education coordinator, said the event is important for several reasons.

"It's a celebration of an achievement and a terrific opportunity to remind folks in Southcentral to be proactive in their preparations for the 2005 fire season," Weaver said.