Let’s Clear the Air Poster Challenge Winners!

Springs is in the air and unfortunately so are a lot of pollutants that affect our air quality.   Promoting ways to help change this is the focus of the 2^nd annual Let’s Clear the Air Poster Challenge sponsored by the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership (SPAQP) and the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC). During the 2011-2012 academic year, students in 50 schools over a seven county region in Southwest PA took part in the contest.  The students were challenged with creating posters that would educate the public on either clean air or alternative transportation.   Participating teachers received a contest kit as part of the Poster Challenge which included lesson plans addressing air pollutants and alternative transportation, as well as materials for hands-on activities. Students were able to learn about the history of air quality and the issues we face in this region and apply their knowledge to themes and slogans for their posters.  Posters were judged by SPAQP in March and we are happy to announce the winning student artists! The three first place winners win a $100 gift certificate for school supplies for their class and a bicycle, courtesy of TREK of Pittsburgh, to help promote alternative transportation. “Trek of Pittsburgh signed on to this project because we strive to present cycling as a healthy lifestyle choice to youth and adults alike,” said Gray Patton of TREK. Both first and second place winners will receive an Air Quality or Recycling Magic Show for their school.     In the Elementary Category the first place winner is Abigail Parker-Blier from Dilworth Elementary,a Pittsburgh Public Schooland second place went to Sanjana Harish from Hartwood Elementary, in the Fox Chapel Area School District.  In the Middle School Category both first place winner, AmandaThomson,and second place winner, CiaraBowman,are from New Meadow Run School in Fayette County.  Finally in the High School Category, First Place went to Melanie Socashand second place went to Stephanie Stewart, both from Freedom Area High School in Beaver County. To view the winning posters, please visit PRC’s website at: http://www.prc.org/poster-winners-2012.html. For more information about the Poster Challenge please contact Sarah Alessio Shea of PRC at 412-488-7490 ext. 236.