Florida Department of Health Announces the 2024 Radon Poster Contest Winners
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January 12, 2024
Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@FLHealth.gov
850-245-4111
Tallahassee, Fla. — January is National Radon Action Month and the time of year when the Florida Department of Health announces the winners of our 2024 Florida Radon Poster Contest.
This annual contest of original designs, art and concepts engages Florida middle-school students and schools to help educate their communities about the health risks connected to elevated indoor radon levels.
Florida’s top three winners are also entered into the national contest organized by Radon Leaders, an online learning and action network that supports the Radon Leaders Saving Lives campaign.
Since 2008, Florida’s winners have been awarded the national win nine times!
Congratulations to our 2024 Florida contest winners!
First Place Winner“Test Your Home Today to Keep Cancer Away”
By Mairead Polland,
Hollywood Academy of Arts & Science,
Eighth Grade
Second Place Winner“Radon”
By Victoria Hernandez,
Miami Arts Studio,
Eighth Grade
Third Place Winner“Radon Can Cause Lung Cancer”
By Alice Zemskoff,
Hollywood Academy of Arts & Science,
Eighth Grade
Honorable Mention“Radon the Grim Reaper”
By Michael Yin,
Omni Middle School,
Sixth Grade
The Contest Promotes Radon Awareness
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and the largest source of everyday radiation exposure. It’s colorless and odorless so you don’t know you’re breathing it in. In recent years, radon in indoor air has caused an estimated 21,000 deaths from lung cancer—in fact, it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths nationwide. For non-smokers, it’s the number one leading cause of lung cancer deaths.
Common Misconceptions of Radon
Radon comes from uranium, a heavy metal found in the earth’s soil. Radon is pulled from the ground into buildings through cracks in foundations, plumbing and electrical penetrations and other openings. It can accumulate in any type of building including the upper floors of homes, apartments and high-rises.
- One in 15 homes across the U.S. has an elevated radon level.
- In Florida, one in five homes—in some areas it’s one in three.
Testing Your Home is FREE
There are ways to reduce high levels of radon in your home—your first step is to test your indoor air. The test is simple and you can request a free radon test kit from Radon.FloridaHealth.gov.
Additional information available:
- Locate Florida-certified radon measurement professionals.
- View a list of public and private schools, day care and 24-hour care facilities that have measured their indoor radon levels (this is not a requirement for all counties).
- Contact DOH’s Florida Radon Program at 800-543-8279.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.