Izzy Buck (left), Kevin Zhong, Jayci Hawkins and Alice Whitehead received awards for their winning graphic art. The students were helped by Rolla Technical Institute teacher Angie Yowell (right).

Izzy Buck (left), Kevin Zhong, Jayci Hawkins and Alice Whitehead received awards for their winning graphic art. The students were helped by Rolla Technical Institute teacher Angie Yowell (right).

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

Winners from Phelps County were:

  • Arianna Booker, 11th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, First Place Graphic Art;
  • Avery Ferrell, 1st grade, Truman Elementary, First Place Poster Art;
  • Alyssa Angle, 10th grade, Newburg R-2, First Place Trash Art;
  • Marissa Drew, 7th grade, Newburg R-2, First Place Trash Art;
  • Becky Hawes, 6th grade, St. James Middle School, First Place Trash Art;
  • Mackenzie Bray, 12th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, First Place Graphic Art;
  • Hazel Doyen, 8th grade, Newburg R-2, Second Place Trash Art;
  • Kevin Zhong, 11th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Second Place Graphic Art;
  • Allison Perkins, 5th grade, Rolla Middle School, Second Place Poster Art;
  • Evey Hawes, 2nd grade, Lucy Wortham James Elementary, Second Place Trash Art;
  • Jacelynn Kridelbaugh, 7th grade, Newburg R-2, Second Place Trash Art;
  • Blayk Rutledge, 6th grade, Newburg R-2, Second Place Trash Art;
  • Jayci Hawkins, 12th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Second Place Graphic Art;
  • Landon Bunton, 8th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Alyshia Maune, 8th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Mikie Hatfield, 11th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
  • Jaden Roach, 11th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
  • Alice Whitehead, 11th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
  • Clay Engelke, 5th grade, Rolla Middle School, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
  • Miles White, 5th grade, Rolla Middle School, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Ronan Cahill, 1st grade, Homeschool, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Drayven Barton, 2nd grade, Lucy Wortham James Elementary, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Georgina Crump, 1st grade, Truman Elementary, Honorable Mention Poster Art;
  • Nicky Collier, 10th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Rhiannon Kinner, 10th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Logan Mitchell, 10th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Cora Carson, 7th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Haley Steffe, 7th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Paige Lewis, 6th grade, Newburg R-2, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Berlin Barton, 6th grade, St. James Middle School, Honorable Mention Trash Art;
  • Izzy Buck, 12th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art;
  • Kayla Crain, 12th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art; and
  • Aidan Whittaker, 12th grade, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art.

Phelps County students were under the direction of teachers Ashland Fleshman (Lucy Wortham James Elementary), Amanda Peery (Newburg High School), Angie Yowell (Rolla Technical Institute), Ashley Rapp (Rolla Middle School) and Jessika Zink (Rolla Middle School), Lindsay Griffith (Truman Elementary) and Allie Smith (Rolla Middle School).

“The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Earth Day Art Contest is in its 33rd 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 group. The contest was open to kindergarten through 12th 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/.

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Cutline: Izzy Buck (left), Kevin Zhong, Jayci Hawkins and Alice Whitehead received awards for their winning graphic art. The students were helped by Rolla Technical Institute teacher