Trashy Art Contest Turns Garbage To Art | News, Sports, Jobs

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — It might be a scary thing to judge someone else’s garbage, but that’s what will happen at the annual JB Green Trashy Art Contest coming next month.

The deadline for registering to enter the contest already passed, with students dropping off their projects between 3 and 5 p.m. March 31. Then, from 2-6 p.m. April 1, two days of judging begin; judging concludes from 10 a.m. to noon April 2.

Winners will be announced at 1 p.m. April 2 following final judging. The events take place at the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville, according to JB Green’s Environmental Educator Alisha Teramana. She said the area set up for judging is near Boscov’s Department Store.

The contest is being held in both Jefferson and Belmont counties with 50 students participating in Belmont County alone. Teramana said participants are from various schools ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade. Anyone who wishes to vote will have to pay one cent, and proceeds go to the art department of the winning student’s school. She also said there is no limit to how many times a person can vote.

“They’ll use the money as a donation toward whichever school they go to, their art department will get the donation,” Teramana said.

Schools being represented in Belmont County are: St. Clairsville Elementary and Middle, Bridgeport Elementary, Union Local Elementary, homeschools and Belmont Career Center.

Teramana emphasized that all art must be derived from objects that are salvaged.

“The only rule is that they are supposed to use things that would be normally thrown away,” Teramana said.

When it’s over, the students will take their art work back home with them.

“We ask that each student place his or her name, grade level, teacher name and school under the entry where it cannot be seen,” states an instructional letter from JB Green Team. “Once again entries will not be separated into Divisions or Categories, and judging will be by popular vote. Anyone can vote for the Trashy Art entries, and voting will be a penny per vote.”

The first place prize is worth $100, with $50 for second place and $25 for third. All three prizes come in the form of Ohio Valley Mall gift cards. Students will also receive a goody bag for participating in the contest.