Oklahoma kids, turn your creativity into a festive masterpiece! Create anti-litter art highlighting the importance of being litter-free for a chance to shine in the 2025 Oklahoma Trash Poster Calendar. The annual statewide calendar features student’s anti-litter artworks, which will promote litter reduction in the state, especially along highways.

Now is the time for students to submit their art for the 2024 Trash Poster contest. The 14 state winners will receive cash prizes, including $300 for first place, $300 for State Promotional Poster of the Year, $200 for second place, $200 for Contest Entry Form Poster and $150 for third place in each of the four divisions. The winners of the 33rd annual contest, and their families and teachers will be invited to an awards event in April, and the students will be introduced on the floor of the Oklahoma State Senate and House of Representatives at the state Capitol. Teachers of the 14 winners will receive a two-night stay at an Oklahoma state park and a voucher for classroom art supplies.

The contest encourages students to learn about Oklahoma’s litter issues and propose solutions through their art and classroom litter education curriculum. Categories for entry are separated by grade: K2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th and 9th-12th. The deadline for submissions to the 2024 contest is Jan. 31. Entries must be submitted to a local county Department of Environmental Quality office by Jan. 31, 2024. County judging and awards, coordinated by local DEQ offices, will take place in February and winning entries will be sent to the state competition in March.

Entries must be original concepts with positive themes related to litter. Poster sizes of 12 inches x 18 inches or 11 inches x 17 inches are preferred, if available, on paper or poster board. Syndicated characters, computer generated images, glue, glitter or any material that could harm scanning or copying equipment will not be accepted.

Last year more than 5,600 students participated in the statewide competition, which is a partnership of ODOT, DEQ, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Cherokee Nation, OG&E, Oklahoma’s Credit Union, Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department- Oklahoma State Parks, OMES – Application Development & Deployment, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Ardmore Beautification Council, Oklahoma City Beautiful, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, Solid Waste Institute of Northeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

For more information about the contest, contact the ODOT Beautification Office at 405-5212557, or to download an entry form, access the ODOT website at www. odot.org/tpc.