Support a litter-free Oklahoma by entering statewide Trash Poster Calendar contest, 2023 calendars available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 12, 2022
PR# 22-029

Oklahoma children have the opportunity to create a unique piece of art about the importance of not littering and potentially be selected for the 2024 Oklahoma Trash Poster Calendar. The annual statewide calendar features student’s anti-litter artworks, which will promote litter abatement in the state, especially along highways.

Now is the time for students to submit their art for the 2024 Trash Poster Calendar contest which started Dec. 1, 2022. The 14 state winners will receive cash prizes, including $300 for first place, $300 for State Promotional Poster of the Year, $200 for second place, $200 for Contest Entry Form Poster and $150 for third place in each of the four divisions. The winners of the 32nd annual contest, their families and teachers will be invited to an awards event in April, and the students will be introduced on the floor of the Oklahoma State Senate and House of Representatives at the state Capitol. Teachers of the 14 winners will receive a two-night stay at an Oklahoma state park and a voucher for classroom art supplies.

The contest encourages students to learn about Oklahoma’s litter issues and propose solutions through their art and classroom litter education curriculum. Categories for entry are separated by grade: K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th and 9th-12th. The deadline for submissions to the 2023 contest is Jan. 31. Entries must be submitted to a local county Department of Environmental Quality office by Jan. 31, 2023. County judging and awards, coordinated by local DEQ offices, will take place in February and winning entries will be sent to the state competition in March.

Entries must be original concepts with positive themes related to litter. Poster sizes of 12 inches x 18 inches or 11 inches x 17 inches is preferred, if available, on paper or poster board. Syndicated characters, computer generated images, glue, glitter or any material that could harm scanning or copying equipment will not be accepted.

Last year more than 5,400 students participated in the statewide competition, which is a partnership of ODOT, DEQ, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Cherokee Nation, OG&E, Oklahoma’s Credit Union, Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department-Oklahoma State Parks, OMES-Web & Citizen Experience, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Ardmore Beautification Council, Oklahoma City Beautiful, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, Solid Waste Institute of Northeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

For more information contact the ODOT Beautification Office at 405-521-2557, or to download an entry form, access the ODOT website at www.odot.org/tpc.

The 2023 Trash Poster Calendar, which exhibits last year’s winning entries, is free to the public. The department distributes 30,000 calendars to state agencies, businesses and schools statewide. Contact the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Beautification Office to get copies while quantities remain at 405-521-2557 or email beautification@odot.org. The calendar is also available in all of ODOT’s District headquarters statewide, while supplies last.

ODOT spends nearly $6 million in taxpayer dollars annually to combat litter along state highways and interstates and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority spends $1.5 million annually to clean along toll roads. Those totals do not include the hundreds of volunteer hours spent fighting litter across the state through events like ODOT’s annual TRASH-OFF and the national Great American Cleanup, sponsored by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.

Caption: The 2023 Trash Poster Calendar is now available for free to the public, while supplies last. Contact the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s local District office or Beautification Office to get copies at 405-521-2557 or email beautification@odot.org. The 2024 Trash Poster Contest is underway with entries due Jan. 31, 2023. Visit www.odot.org/tpc for more information.

Caption: The 2024 Trash Poster Calendar contest is now open to students, encouraging them to learn about Oklahoma’s litter issues and propose solutions through art and classroom litter education curriculum. Entry deadline is Jan. 31, 2023, visit www.odot.org/tpc for more information. The 2023 Trash Poster Calendar is now available for free to the public, while supplies last. Contact the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s local District office or Beautification Office to get copies at 405-521-2557 or email beautification@odot.org.