The York County Solid Waste Authority Announces Winners of High School Earth Day Recycled Art Contest
To promote recycling and celebrate “Earth Day” (April 22), the York County Solid Waste Authority sponsored a Recycled Art Contest for York County High School students. Participating schools included Central York High School, Dallastown Area High School, Hanover Public High School, Kennard-Dale High School, Red Land High School, Red Lion Area Senior High School, South Western High School and York Suburban High School. Twenty-eight students participated.
Contest judging and a public reception were held at York College’s Marketview Arts Gallery located at 37 West Philadelphia Street in downtown York on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. Each student winner received an art supply gift certificate and his/her school’s art department was also granted an art supply gift certificate in the same amount. The first-place winner received a $300 gift certificate. A $200 gift certificate was awarded to the second-place winner and the third-place winner received a $100 gift certificate.
The first-place prize was awarded to “Washed Up” by Mackenzie Burns, Brylee Rine and Becca Waller of Red Land High School. A second-place award was given to Sophie Castro of Kennard-Dale High School for her submission entitled “Lost Home”. The third-place winner was “Cancer: Garbage of the Soul” by Emma Crumling and Lea Wilhelm of Central York.
Prizes were awarded based on artistic technique, artistic expression and creative use of recycled materials. Judges were Rita Whitney, Director of Communications and Engagement at the York County Cultural Alliance; Victoria Kageni-Woodard, York area artist and fashion designer/owner of Gusa by Victoria, LLC; and Joaquin Calles Guzman, York area artist.
Some of the students’ materials were generously donated by Refindings and The York Rescue Mission. In February, students were invited to a “Picker Day” at Refindings to search through treasures to repurpose into their recycled art pieces.
Earth Day is a worldwide annual event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day, held in 1970, was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, similar to a general education forum. In 1990 the event grew to the international level with 141 nations participating. Today, it is estimated that more than 192 countries continue to celebrate Earth Day each year.
This is the fifth year the Authority has conducted a recycled art contest for high school students. The Authority facilitates responsible solid waste management through an integrated strategy that emphasizes waste reduction, education, recycling and resource recovery. The Authority is the owner of the York County Resource Recovery Center in Manchester Township; and owns and operates a Yard Waste Transfer Facility, a Recyclable Materials Drop-off Center and an Education Center. Free educational programming for children and adults is offered year-round by the Authority.