Media Contact: Godfrey Nalyanya, School IPM Coordinator, North Carolina State University, 919-515-5650 or godfrey_nalyanya@ncsu.edu

State Schools Superintendent June Atkinson will deliver the keynote speech at a school integrated pest management awards ceremony at North Carolina State University Wednesday, Oct. 10.

The ceremony, which will honor 12 North Carolina public school districts for using safer and environmentally friendly methods to control pests in schools, will be held at the McKimmon Center at N.C. State University from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Dr. Godfrey Nalyanya, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Specialist in the Department of Crop Science and coordinator of the school IPM Program at N.C. State University, will give out three categories of awards. IPM Program Awards go to school districts that have successfully managed their pest problems without regularly scheduled pesticide applications; IPM Leadership Awards go to school districts that not only have successful integrated pest management programs, but have assisted other schools with beginning similar programs. School districts that have recently begun integrated pest management programs will receive IPM Initiative Awards.

Five school districts will receive IPM Program awards, three will receive IPM Leadership awards, and four will receive IPM Initiative Awards:

Media are invited to attend. For more information about the School IPM program at N.C. State University, contact Godfrey Nalyanya at 919-515-5650.

The following list includes the school districts receiving recognition.

IPM Initiative Awards
Lee County Schools
Mooresville Graded School district
New Hanover County Schools
Roanoke Rapids Graded School district

IPM Program Awards
Dare County Public Schools
Greene County Schools
Newton-Conover City Schools
Perquimans County Schools
Union Co. Public Schools

IPM Leadership Awards
Elkin City Schools
Wake County Public Schools
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Written by: Rosemary Hallberg, Communication Specialist, Southern Region IPM Center, North Carolina State University, 919-513-8182 or rhallberg@sripmc.org