Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) announced that 42 Crawford County students were honored with first and second place awards and honorable mentions in the 33^rd Annual Earth Day Poster, Trash and Graphic Art contest. This year’s contest theme was “Plastic vs. Planet.” 

Winners from Crawford County were:

• Hanna Vassallie, 11^th grade, Sullivan High School, First Place Poster Art;
• Isabella Thurmond, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, First Place Graphic Art;
• Sadie Ellis, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, First Place Poster Art;
• Christopher House, 10^th grade, Sullivan High School, First Place Poster Art;
• Mason McCarty, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, First Place Poster Art;
• Halie Vassallie, 11^th grade, Sullivan High School, Second Place Poster Art; 
• Braelyn Brand, 1^st grade, Steelville Elementary, Second Place Poster Art;
• Kadence Harmon, 4^th grade, Steelville Elementary, Second Place Poster Art;
• Kaydence Bolinger, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Second Place Graphic Art;
• Trynyty Bull, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Second Place Poster Art;
• Nora Martin, 2^nd grade, Steelville Elementary, Second Place Poster Art;
• Carter Wallis, 7^th grade, Steelville Middle School, Second Place Poster Art;
• Liberty Koch, 10^th grade, Sullivan High School, Second Place Poster Art;
• Hannah Summer, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, Second Place Poster Art;
• Charis Gower, 11^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Seth Harris, 11^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Mychael Ragan, 11^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Skylynn Fisher, 5^th grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Marcus Baker, 1^st grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Kennedy Blue, 1^st grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Rylee Rice, 4^th grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Jacoby Hercules, 4^th grade, Bourbon Elementary, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
• Channing Jackson, 4^th grade, Bourbon Elementary, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
• Jaxson Griffith, Kindergarten, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Blake Bray, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
• Karter King, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
• Sophia Kolling, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
• Mahlon Foster, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Thomas Tod, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Jackson Woolley, 9^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Natalie Bannister, 2^nd grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Lydia Gossage, 2^nd grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Emma Muir, 10^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Olivia Schansberg, 10^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Nolan Studdard, 10^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Rylie Counts, 3^rd grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Eva Rutledge, 3^rd grade, Steelville Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Lucas Smith, 3^rd grade, Bourbon Elementary, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
• Dominique McClain, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
• Danielle Davis, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
• Charlie Dinger, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art; and 
• Oliver McGraw, 12^th grade, Sullivan High School, Honorable Mention Poster Art.

Crawford County students were under the direction of teachers Rebecca Wibbenmeyer (Steelville Elementary and Middle School), Deborah Kordonowy (Bourbon Elementary) and Valarie McEuen (Sullivan High School).

“The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Earth Day Art Contest is in its 33^rd year,” said Kathryn Hawes, environmental specialist. “We were thrilled to see so many entries in all categories including new schools and home school students participating. Artwork was displayed throughout the region’s art galleries, sponsor locations and on display at regional Earth Day celebrations.”

The contest required participants to re-purpose trash into three-dimensional pieces of art or create posters (hand drawn or graphically designed), based on the year’s theme. There were 935 entries from 17 schools in the district and three homeschool groups. The contest was open to kindergarten through 12^th grade, homeschool, college and university students who reside or attend school in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. 

“The Earth Day contest is one of my favorite programs,” said Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC’s environmental program manager. “The projects the kids come up with are so creative. You don’t often think of trash as a medium for artistic expression, but it’s a great way to provide environmental education to our children and increase awareness of solid waste issues.”

“Each year we are blown away by the creativity of the young minds in our region and so thankful that they have a unique way to express themselves and their care for our world,” Hawes said.

A gallery of awarded students art by grade level may be found on our website at https://ozarkrivers.org/programs-and-services/earth-day/. The 2024 Earth Day Contest was funded through a ORSWMD grant, made possible through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), along with donations from the following area sponsors: Legends Bank – Belle, Steelville Chamber of Commerce, The Missouri Bank – Hermann, Belgrade State Bank, The Maries County Bank – Vienna, Mid America Bank, DML LLC, Infuze Credit Union, Security Bank of Pulaski County, Phelps County Bank – Rolla, Bank of Crocker and Town & Country Bank. 

The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. Gary Larson, Dent County, chairs the group. The district’s strategy for solid waste reduction, which has been individually adopted by all member governments and approved by Missouri Department of Natural Resources, involves education and increased recycling and waste reduction efforts in member counties and cities. MRPC provides administration of the district and assists with a variety of implementation projects.

For more information about ORSWMD or waste reduction and recycling opportunities in the Ozark Rivers area, contact Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager, at 573-265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org. Also, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ORSWMD and on the web at www.ozarkrivers.org. MRPC provides the day-to-day administration for Ozark Rivers. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Mary Heywood, representing the unemployed, serves as MRPC chair. A professional staff of 30, led by Executive Director Bonnie Prigge, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

-30-

Cutline: Emma Muir (Left), Mahlon Foster, Thomas Tod, Olivia Schansberg and Trynyty Bull pose with their award-winning poster art. These students are part of the winners from Sullivan High School.