By Cassandra Harris

You can’t see or smell radon, but there might be a silent killer in your home. Linked to more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the nation and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Helping to raise awareness of the health effects of radon, South Carolina students, ages nine to 14, recently submitted artwork as part of the 2015 S.C. Radon Poster Contest.

Selected from schools across the state, the students’ posters urge adults to test for radon and fix their homes when necessary. A total of 13 posters were selected to be included in the 2015 S.C. Radon Awareness Calendar. Announced at an award ceremony on January 21, 2015, at the S.C. State Museum in Columbia, this year’s contest winners include:

• Gracie Driggers, Spaulding Elementary (1^st Place)
• Elizabeth Parrish, Forestbrook Middle School (2^nd Place)
• Andrea Martinez, Horse Creek Academy (3^rd Place)
• Colin Sauceda, Forestbrook Middle School (Honorable Mention)
• Elizabeth Truluck, Myrtle Beach High School (Honorable Mention)
• Sebastian O’Banion, Kennedy Middle School
• Daylund Aistrop, Belton Middle School
• Trinity Lincoln, Belton Middle School
• Mellie Driggers, Spaulding Elementary
• Destiny Garrido, CE Murray High School
• Arden Kirk, Forestbrook Middle School
• Anna Walker, Forestbrook Middle School

• Serena Wallace, Ocean Bay Middle School

The top three entries were entered into the 2015 National Radon Poster Contest as part of National Radon Action Month.

Congratulations to all of our contest winners! Your artwork is currently displayed in local DHEC offices around the state and is helping to make a difference in the way South Carolinians think about radon.

To get more information on radon, to view the calendar and posters, or to request a free home test kit, visit www.scdhec.gov/radon.