Gov. Nathan Deal recognized three students from northeast Georgia for their efforts to spread the word about the dangers of radon as part of the 2019 University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Radon Education Program Poster Contest.
The winners are Emma Starnes, a fourth-grade student at Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Olivia Hawkins, a seventh-grade student at Malcolm Bridge Middle School in Oconee County and Blake Bernt, a fifth-grade student at David C. Barrow Elementary School.
Almost 200 posters were submitted in the state-level competition.
Radon is an odorless, colorless, flavorless radioactive gas present in some Georgia soils. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. In Georgia, homes in the northern counties are more likely to have high levels of radon, but all homes are susceptible.
Radon testing is not a part of basic home inspections that home buyers order when purchasing a home, but simple home radon tests are available from UGA Extension. To get a test kit, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit www.UGAradon.org.