Deadline for entries: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

11,071 students entered the 2010 contest, making the poster judging very interesting! In addition to other prizes, state winners will be featured in 45,000 printed calendars. 13,000 copies each of "one" state winner’s poster will be reproduced in a large color poster format for display. These items are distributed to Oklahoma state agencies, schools, libraries, municipalities and businesses.

The contest is organized by the following representatives from their respective organizations: Melody Johnson - Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), Karen Hrbacek - Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Glen Henry - Oklahoma State Department of Education (SDE), Alice Collinsworth - Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), Gail Ederer - Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB), and Michael Eddens - Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC). The Annual Trash Poster Contest winners are announced in April each year.

Entry Forms:

Entry blanks for the Twentieth Annual Trash Poster Contest, printed copies of the display poster from the current year, and several calendars are mailed to each school principal and superintendent by December. Entry forms can also be obtained by contacting the ODOT Beautification Office (405) 521-4037, or by going to the ODOT Beautification Website, www.okladot.state.ok.us/beauty, clicking on "Poster Contest", and printing the Trash Poster Contest Entry Form from your computer. To aid the teachers and conserve paper, a printable plain entry form in the Four (4) Up format is available for download and printing. The contest begins December 1, 2011. Please do not submit entries prior to this date!

The entry form must be filled out completely, legibly, and in detail, and attached to the upper right corner on the BACK of the poster. Entries must be sent to your local Department of Environmental Quality office (DEQ) by January 31, 2012. Late entries or entries sent to the wrong office will NOT be judged.

Contest Divisions:

The contest is divided into four divisions by grade: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. All Oklahoma students are eligible to enter.

Prizes:

Local Prizes - All 1st, 2nd and 3rd place county winners receive a certificate. Some local contests also present other prizes, but those vary by county.

State Prizes - In April, each of the 12 state winners will receive a cash award, $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third from each grade category. State winners also will receive a T-shirt with their design on it and a mounted copy of their poster. Teachers of the 12 state winners receive vouchers for a two-night stay at a state park and classroom checks for school art supplies in the amounts of $100.00 for first, $75.00 for second and $50.00 for third.

Awards Luncheon:

State winners will be honored at an April Awards Luncheon at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation Building in Oklahoma City. The twelve state winners and teachers will receive their awards at the luncheon. The twelve winning students will also be presented to the Oklahoma State House of Representatives at the State Capitol that same day. All state winners and their teachers will receive proper notification before the awards luncheon.

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