Every fall, the Collierville Fire Department asks students to participate in the Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest. The theme for 2023 was “Cooking Safety Starts with YOU! Pay attention to Fire Prevention.” Kitchen fires are the leading cause of home fires in Tennessee and across the country.

The poster contest allows students to engage in fire prevention education in a creative and fun way. The contest is open to all public, private, and homeschooled students in kindergarten through 12^th grade.  Participating schools or groups select their grade level winners, Collierville Fire and Town staff select the Town level winners, then the State Fire Marshal’s Office selects the state winners for each grade.

Out of 300 fire prevention poster entries from across the state, 14 total awards were given. Six Collierville Schools students received first place in their grade level. The winners are:

• Sanaya Hettiarachchi Gamage – Kindergarten, Bailey Station Elementary School
• Shourya Sanapala - 1st Grade, Tara Oaks Elementary School
• Claire Wyrick - 3rd Grade, Crosswind Elementary School
• Gavyn Fayette - 4th Grade, Crosswind Elementary School
• Tanvi Konkala - 5th Grade, Crosswind Elementary School
• Swarjeet Singh Saini - 11th Grade, Collierville High School

"Congratulations to our talented students! Your achievement not only shows your creativity, but also serves as an important reminder that cooking safety is everyone's responsibility. Let's continue to spread the message that fire prevention starts with us all,” said Collierville Fire Chief John Selberg.

The Collierville students and their families were honored by the State Fire Marshal’s Office in a special ceremony on April 20, 2024, at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville. Out of the 14 state-level awards, nine of the students were from Shelby County; Arlington Schools had five students win.

 
Collierville Chief of Fire Prevention Todd Johnson with Collierville students.