Congratulations to the winners of the 2008 No MOre Trash! Trashcan Decorating Contest. Representatives from the Missouri departments of Transportation and Conservation presented the prize money to each winning school in April at student assemblies. The grand prize was awarded to Central Elementary School in Union, Missouri.

“This contest was developed to raise awareness about Missouri’s litter problem and discourage littering among elementary and middle school students in a fun and creative way,” said Arleasha Mays, Missouri Department of Conservation’s No MOre Trash! co-coordinator. “All the entries were so unique and original, it was hard to pick the winners.”

The contest encourages kindergarten to eighth-grade students, to decorate a trashcan and display it in a prominent location within their school and include a litter-prevention message along with the No MOre Trash! logo. The goal of the contest is to raise awareness about Missouri’s litter problem and discourage littering.

An overall grand prize winner was awarded and a first place prize to the winner in each of the three competition categories (K-2, 3-5, 6-8). The grand prize winner received $500 and each category winner received $100. Entries were judged based on creativity, adherence to contest rules and appropriate theme and logo use.

The trashcan decorating contest was launched in 2005 through Missouri’s No MOre Trash! program, a statewide litter-prevention program sponsored by the departments of Conservation and Transportation.

For more information about No MOre Trash!, the contest or to view photos of the winning trashcans, visit www.nomoretrash.org.