On the right side of the stage during Wednesday’s Union County Veterans Day Program sat 36 eager faces, each holding a creation of their own.

Those 36 students from Union County were among many students in kindergarten through fifth grade who each made a poster to honor veterans as part of the first Veterans Day Poster Contest sponsored by the Union County Arts Council.

The posters called veterans stars and many other honorary names, but all of them showed the students’ respect for those who serve their country.

“Some of these posters are really moving,” said program emcee, chairmain of the Veterans Day Parade Committee and Vietnam veteran Jantzen Childers, adding it’s good for the children of Union County to know about veterans and what they’ve done for them and their country.

Childers said the Union County Veterans Day Committee wanted to get the school district even more involved in the program and Veterans Day in general this year and partnered with the Arts Council to have the poster contest.

Each student was given an award certificate during the program and got to display their winning poster in front of the packed Army National Guard Armory on Wednesday.

“These young children are very talented,” said Arts Council Coordinator Lucy Fowler as she was reading each of the winners’ names.

Posters were judged by Veterans Day Committee and Union County Arts Council members, including Fowler.

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s poster contest:

BUFFALO ELEMENTARY

Art Teacher: Sarah Lassiter

Winners: Chloe Rector, kindergarten; Lauren Hines, first grade; Dylan Kendrick, second grade; Zacharia Jennings, third grade; Logan Yeary, fourth grade; Logan Berry, fifth grade.

FOSTER PARK ELEMENTARY

Art Teacher: Amy Truitt

Winners: Evan Threadgill, kindergarten; Niiquaysha Norman, first grade; Madalyn Alexander, second grade; William Balkum, third grade; Matthew Floyd, fourth grade; Skylyn Morris, fifth grade.

JONESVILLE

ELEMENTARY

Art Teacher: Ann Knopf

Winners: Dakota Prince, kindergarten; Jayda Baldwin, first grade; Jerimey Kirby, second grade; Chad Maturin, third grade; Texas Melton, fourth grade; Erik Kirby, fifth grade.

LOCKHART

ELEMENTARY

Art Teacher: Tamela McKnight

Winners: Alexis Lanier, kindergarten; Mikayla Parris, first grade; Abby Brannon, second grade; Zack Fowler, third grade; Morgan Foster, fourth grade; Mariah Boler, fifth grade.

MONARCH

ELEMENTARY

Art Teacher: Mary Cantey

Winners: Halee Chambers, kindergarten; Amanda Inman, first grade; Nathan Harris, second grade; Jacob Parks, third grade; Abbie Valentine, fourth grade; Nick Bledsoe, fifth grade.

UNION CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL

Art Teacher: Talley Messer

Winners: Alex Bradshaw, kindergarten; Hannah Hill, first grade; Conner Tyler, second grade; Jadyn Kimbrell, third grade; Keely Messer, fourth grade; Kolby Riddle, fifth grade.