MRPC News Release
Mar. 2, 2006
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Bonnie J. Prigge or Tammy Snodgrass, (573) 265-2993
SOLID WASTE DISTRICT SPONSORING EARTH DAY POSTER, TRASH ART CONTEST
Theme: "Recycling: Plant A Seed and Watch It Grow"
In observance of Earth Day on April 22, the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District is sponsoring its fourteenth annual poster contest in area schools and is introducing the first “trash art” contest. Students attending public and private schools in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski or Washington counties are eligible to participate. Home-schooled students in the seven-county area are also encouraged to participate.
“The poster contest has always been well received, and this year, we decided to encourage the students to think outside the box and create trash art, a three-dimensional art project made entirely from recycled materials, like empty cans, used paper, cereal boxes and the like,” said Tammy Snodgrass, environmental programs manager for Meramec Regional Planning Commission. MRPC serves as administrator for the Ozark Rivers District. Bryan Rogers, MRPC community development specialist, is coordinating the contests on behalf of the district.
Contest information has been distributed to all schools in the seven-county.
This year's poster contest theme is "Recycling: Plant a Seed and Watch It Grow." The poster contest is open to all K-12 students and should focus on the beneficial, long-term results of recycling, ways to protect and enhance the environmental and how actions today impact the earth and its future. Trash art projects do not have to adhere to the theme. Posters and trash art entries will be judge separately, and students can participate in both the poster and trash art contests, if they choose. First place prizes are $50 U.S. savings bonds; second place prizes will be earth friendly gifts valued at $15 or more. Every student that participates will receive a small prize.
The deadline for submitting posters is April 1, and the county clerk’s office at local courthouses will serve as drop-off points for posters in each county. Posters should be no larger than 28-inches by 22-inches with no minimum size while trash art projects should be no larger than 12-inches by 12-inches by 12-inches. Teachers submitting more than five trash art projects are asked to contact the solid waste district to arrange transportation of the projects so that they don’t overwhelm county offices.
The poster and trash art contests are a part of the district's effort to increase awareness of the solid waste problem and to generate interest in reducing the amount of waste deposited in area landfills. Education and awareness are key components of the district's solid waste management plan.
"We encourage teachers to use this project as an opportunity to discuss solid waste problems, like illegal dumping, and the benefits of recycling as well as the meaning of Earth Day," Snodgrass said. Teachers can contact Snodgrass or Bryan Rogers for curriculum and research ideas to use in the classroom. The Ozark Rivers District has books and videos and other learning aids available for use by teachers and home-schoolers.
Contest winners will be notified the week of April 17, and the winning works will be part of an exhibit on the University of Missouri-Rolla campus during UMR's Earth Day celebration on April 22.
Once again, area banks have been asked to cosponsor this year's contest by providing savings bonds. Donations are still being accepted.
Persons needing more information should contact Snodgrass or Rogers at (573) 265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org or brogers@meramecregion.org.