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Maryland Department of the Environment

Delegate Maggie McIntosh and MDE Secretary Summers Award Grand Prize for “Americana Chicken” at MDE’s Rethink Recycling Contest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

**Social Media Release** Delegate Maggie McIntosh and MDE Secretary Summers Award Grand Prize for “Americana Chicken” at MDE’s Rethink Recycling Contest
Annual contest promotes recycling and creativity among high school students  

Emma Brenengen Grand Prize Winner Amy Elberfeld 1st Place - Creativity Sophia Fornaro 1st place: Workmanship Taylor Dick 1st place: Use of Materials Danosha Blake 1st place: People's Choice
Emma Brenengen
Grand Prize Winner		 Amy Elberfeld
1st Place – Creativity		 Sophia Fornaro
1st place: Workmanship		 Taylor Dick
1st place: Use of Materials		 Danosha Blake
1st place: People’s Choice

BALTIMORE, MD (November 22, 2013) – Delegate Maggie McIntosh and Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Robert M. Summers  today awarded prizes for a dragon, a hummingbird and a colorful chicken – all made from reused materials – at the 12th annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest, hosted by MDE.

The contest challenges Maryland high school students to use recycled materials to create artistic and innovative sculptures. This year 68 entries from 29 different high schools across the State were on display. Sponsors including Giant Food, Constellation Energy, the American Cleaning Institute, Maryland Recycling Network, Call2Recycle and Sims Recycling Solutions donated prizes, funding and refreshments for this year’s contest.

Contest judges tasked with determining the winners of the contest based on creativity, use of materials, and workmanship included environmental education specialist, artist and founder of “Trashion” Rita Mazzo Galindo,  Valerie Androutsopoulos, owner of Vangel Recycling, and Lucas Cowan, Public Art Program Director of the Maryland State Arts Council.

MORE INFORMATION:
Since 2001, MDE has celebrated America Recycles Day by hosting the annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest. High school students from across Maryland are invited to participate by creating sculptures made of recycled and reusable materials. “Rethink Recycling” 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.

America Recycles Day, traditionally celebrated on November 15, 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.

CORE FACTS:

Emma Brenengen  a senior from Middletown High School in Frederick County was the Grand Prize Winner for her “Americana Chicken,” made using soda and vegetable cans.   She received an iPad Air for her efforts.

The category winners, who each received a Nook Tablet, were:

  • Creativity: Amy Elberfeld, 11th grade, Century High School, Carroll County, for her “Day in the Park” sculpture using wire, batteries, string, rubber and bottles.
  • Workmanship: Sophia Fornaro, 11th Century High School, Carroll County, for creating “Oklahoma,” a tornado and homes constructed using wire and cassette tapes.
  • Use of Materials: Taylor Dick, 12th grade, Southern Garrett High School, Garrett County, for “Dolce and Crayola,” a sculpture of a dress using colored pencils, pencil shavings and crayons.
  • People’s Choice Category: Danosha Blake, 11th grade, Suitland High School, Prince George’s County, for crafting “Vanity,” a peacock made using fake nails, feathers and hair clips.

The runners up, who each received refurbished laptops donated by sponsor, Sims Recycling Solutions, were:

  • Creativity: Sarah Blocher, 12th grade, Urbana High School, Frederick County, for her “Hummingbird,” using soda cans, astro-turf and wire.
  • Workmanship: Ivy Lynn Iden, 12th grade, Southern Garrett High School, Garrett County, for crafting her “Elephante,” made from magazine paper.
  • Use of Materials: Megan Dominey, 12th grade, Northwestern High School, Prince George’s County, for constructing “Dragon of Death,” with aluminum duct, trash cans and tubing.
  • People’s Choice Jillian Yant, 12th grade, Southern Garrett High School, Garrett County, for “Shadow Harbor,” a shadow box of the Baltimore Harbor skyline made miscellaneous trash including bottles, cans, paper and other waste materials.

QUOTES:

“Through their recycling and waste reduction efforts, Maryland citizens have cut the amount of waste going into landfills and incinerators by over 45 percent.  Not only does this reduce the need for landfills, it also saves enough energy to power half a million homes or 1.3 million cars for a year.  This is a wonderful accomplishment, but we must continue to seek ways to further reduce our waste. We and our environment are fortunate that Governor O’Malley and Maryland Legislators like House Environmental Matters Committee Chair Maggie McIntosh are strong supporters of legislation and funding to support Maryland’s recycling programs.  Recycling protects and conserves our precious natural resources and it saves money.  It is up to all of us to work together to recycle, reuse and reduce whenever possible.”

–          Robert M. Summers, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment

IMAGES:

See images from today’s event on MDE’s Flickr Page.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
MDE’s Rethink Recycling Contest
America Recycles Day

MDE MISSION:

Our mission is to protect and restore the quality of Maryland’s air, water and land resources, while fostering smart growth, a thriving and sustainable economy and healthy communities.