BALTIMORE, MD (November 21, 2006) – A life-like Flamingo and Rooster were two of the five winning sculptures at the fifth annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest, hosted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on Friday, November 17th. The art event is one way MDE marks America Recycles Day (ARD), an annual event recognized nationally on November 15th. ARD is a national event that unites business, environmental and civic groups, and local, state, and federal government agencies to promote recycling, source reduction, and the purchase of products made from recycled materials as a means to a more sustainable society.
The Sculpture Contest challenges students to innovatively and artistically use recycled materials as a solution to waste reduction. A total of 38 entries from 10 different high schools across the State contained everything from electronic components, cardboard, plastic, scrap wood, dryer lint, old tea bags and more. Andy Rayman, Maryland Institute College of Art, Ashley Taylor, former sculpture contest participant, Laura Greenbeck, reporter from Baltimore Examiner, Pamela Wood, reporter from The Capital, and Jonas A. Jacobson, MDE Deputy Secretary had the task of determining the winners of the contest based on creativity, use of materials, and workmanship. In addition, new to this year’s contest was a “People’s Choice” award that was given to the sculpture who received the most votes from everyone who attended the contest.
“This event is a fine example of how we can foster youth’s ingenuity and spirit while encouraging an environmental ethic,” Deputy Secretary Jacobson said. “After participating in a contest such as this, artists and art lovers will never look at discarded items or trash the same again.”
The top sculptor was Hillary Shapiro, a student at South Carroll High School in Carroll County. Her overall winning sculpture of a flamingo was made from paper clips, aluminum can tabs, an umbrella, a trash can lid, old silverware and copper piping. The winning sculpture won her a 20-inch LCD flat screen TV from Sharp along with a $25 gift card.
Other winning sculptures included:
Best Workmanship – Awarded to Hannah Goodmuth from Carver Center for the Arts and Technology in Baltimore County. Her sculpture was a rooster composed of paper clips and tin foil.
Best Use of Materials – Awarded to Teresa Fredericks from Century High School in Carroll County. Her sculpture was an abstract made from antiques, doorknobs, lightbulbs, metal, and boxes.
Best Creativity – Awarded to Megan Viar from Southern Garrett High School in Garrett County. Her sculpture as a Save-Our-Earth Coin Game made from cardboard, magazines, toilet paper rolls, rubber bands, soda cans, and wire with all proceeds going to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Peoples Choice Award – Awarded to Stephanie Shade from South Carroll High School in Carroll County. Her sculpture was a abstract made from antique bronze objects, cassette tapes, and masks,.
Hannah, Teresa, Megan, and Stephanie earned a portable DVD player, headphones, and a $25 Best Buy Gift card for their efforts.
All students who participated in the contest received a Panasonic portable compact disc player, rechargeable battery kit, and a $10 gift card while their instructors were given a certificate-of-participation and a $25 gift card to a major office supply store. Some of the sculptures are on public display at MDE’s headquarters in Baltimore.
Prizes and refreshments for this year’s recycled art event were donated by: The Delaware/District Of Columbia/Maryland Beverage Association, Maryland Recyclers Coalition, Allied Waste Services, Harford County Office of Recycling, Panasonic, Sharp Electronics Corporation, Constellation Energy, and Best Buy. The "Rethink Recycling" Sculpture Contest is just one way MDE educates and empowers the public to reuse and recycle materials that would have otherwise gone into landfills. To find out what you can do to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled products, visit MDE’s recycling web page at: mde.maryland.gov/recycling
Remember when it comes to recycling, “It All Comes Back To You.”
Editor’s Note
A number of digital images from this event are available. Please contact MDE’s Office of Communications.
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