About 40 elementary students at Oak Grove recently participated in a home project, creating a piece of art using nothing but recyclables, besides adhesive material.

This year’s building-wide winner selected by faculty was third grader Aubrey Rider, who submitted a project entitled “Save The Turtles,” with shells made out of the bottom part of green soda bottles and messaging intended to raise awareness about pollution in the ocean.

“I like animals a lot, and I don’t like when they go extinct,” Aubrey explained about her inspiration on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Grade level winners, voted by their classmates, included: Jake Fickert of the first grade, who made an American flag with painted bottle caps; Gael Arredondo of the second grade, who made a piñata with a balloon and paper shavings; and Jenny Dennis of the third grade, who created a forest with panda bears using egg cartons and tissue paper.

“It’s fun to see the creativity and how they make it their own with Pokémon, the Avengers and the [Teenage Mutant Ninja] Turtles,” third grade teacher Christine Walker commented. “Every year it’s always something different, and we look forward to voting.”

This is the fourth year Oak Grove has hosted the art recycling contest around America Recycles Day, according to Walker. The challenge was inspired by the student-led recycling club, under the building’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports initiative.

“I love to do recycling stuff because you turn something old into something new,” explained participant Unique Blackman, who made a house out of a cardboard box with a message over the front door reading, ‘I love you. You are loved.’ The first grader said she wishes to be an artist when she grows up.

###

Cutline: Oak Grove Principal Jenifer Richardson presents the winners of the art recycling contest, including (left to right) Jenny Dennis, Aubrey Rider, Gael Arredondo and Jake Fickert.