High school students from across Maryland impressed and awed state leaders with their creations for the 17th annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest. This year, 62 entries from 23 schools across the state were on display.
Maryland’s First Lady Yumi Hogan and Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles awarded prizes for a horse made from drawer pulls and jewelry, a cardboard human head, and high-fashion clothing, all made from unwanted trash.
Take a look at some of the sculptures the students dreamed up:
The artists came from every corner of Maryland, with winners from Baltimore County to Garrett County. Mary Garrison from South Carroll High School in Carroll County was the grand prize winner for her sculpture “Golden Mare” made using gold metal objects, necklaces, cardboard, wire, and a drawer handle. She received a Dell laptop and four passes to the National Aquarium for her efforts. Bluetooth speakers, wireless headsets, and $100 Amazon gift cards were also awarded as prizes.
“Maryland is an environmental leader because our schools keep producing students who can turn waste into wealth and litterbugs into nature lovers,” Secretary Grumbles said. “These creative artists who change hearts and minds are key to the governor’s goals for recycling materials and restoring the Chesapeake Bay.”
Maryland residents and businesses recycled more than 3.2 million tons of waste in 2017 and achieved a waste diversion rate of nearly 50 percent, surpassing the state’s goal.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
