Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES­—Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) announced that 25 Phelps County students were honored with first and second place awards and honorable mentions in the 34^th Annual Earth Day Poster, Trash and Graphic Art contest. This year’s contest theme was “Put Waste in Its Place.”

Winners from Phelps County were:

• Evie Cahill, Kindergarten Division, Oak Meadow Homeschool, First Place Trash Art contest;
• Arina Lin, 5^th Grade Division, St. Patrick’s Catholic School, First Place Poster contest;
• Jude May, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, First Place Graphic Art contest;
• Miya Scarbo, 11^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, First Place Graphic Art contest;
• Olive Edwards, Kindergarten Division, Oak Meadow Homeschool, Second Place Trash Art contest;
• Nardi Gordon, 3^rd Grade Division, Home School, Second Place Poster contest;
• Thomas Hamilton, 4^th – 6^th Grade Division, Home School, Second Place Trash Art contest;
• Becky Hawes, 7^th & 8^th Grade Division, St. James Middle School, Second Place Trash Art contest;
• Lara Hogenmiller, 11^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Second Place Graphic Art contest;
• Jory Oun, 5^th Grade Division, Rolla Middle School, Second Place Poster contest;
• Sarah Rector, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Second Place Graphic Art contest;
• Sydney Williams, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla High School, Second Place Trash Art contest;
• Skyler Brand, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest;
• Lucian Cain, 1^st – 3^rd Grade Division, Mark Twain Elementary School, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Hudson Clay, Kindergarten Division, Home School, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Jackie Cox, 11^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest;
• Mikie Hatfield, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest;
• Evey Hawes, 1^st – 3^rd Grade Division, Lucy Wortham James Elementary, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Marlea Kindel, 7^th & 8^th Grade Division, Rolla Jr. High, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Bella Leasor, 12^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest;
• Shiloh Mende, 4^th – 6^th Grade Division, Home School, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Graeme Steelman, 4^th – 6^th Grade Division, Home School, Honorable Mention Trash Art contest;
• Lily Terry, 11^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest;
• Saylor Vanwyk, 11^th Grade Division, Rolla Technical Institute, Honorable Mention Graphic Art contest; and
• Addie Veo, 5^th Grade Division, St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Honorable Mention Poster contest.

Phelps County students were under the direction of teachers Abby Schwalje (St. Patrick Catholic School), Angi Yowell (Rolla Technical Institute), and the remainder were submitted as individuals.

“The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Earth Day Art Contest is in its 34^th 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 779 entries from 15 schools in the district and four homeschool groups. The contest was open to kindergarten through 12^th 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 2025 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: 63 Auto & Truck Parts, Infuze Credit Union, The Maries County Bank – Vienna, Bank of Crocker, DML LLC, Phelps County Bank – Rolla, Legends Bank – Belle, Belgrade State Bank, Bank of Salem, Security Bank of Pulaski County, First State Community Bank – Rolla and Richland 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 25, 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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