Sue Loughlin
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
Chauncey Rose Middle School student Beau Sciotto combined recycled materials, inspiration and creativity to design a flamethrower he called “fire breather.”
Another student at the school, Savaughn Johnson, “strummed” the guitar he made out of recyclables that included cardboard, metal wire, pop lids and film container caps.
The two are participating in a recycled art contest open to Vigo County middle school students and sponsored by Wabash Valley Goodwill Industries.
Three winners will be selected today after judging at all six middle schools. The judges are Mayor Duke Bennett, author Dorothy Jerse and Indiana State University art curator Wanda Wilkey. They visited three schools Thursday, including Chauncey Rose, and will visit the remaining three today.
Students could select from among 39 recyclable items for their projects, including: junk mail, paperback books, chargers, cell phones, packaging peanuts, computers, aluminum cans, jewelry, clocks, purses and clothing. All are items accepted at the Goodwill recycling center.
Goodwill is conducting the contest to reach out to young people and to emphasize the importance of recycling and keeping the earth clean, said Meredith Osburn, Goodwill director of retail operations. “It’s their future just as much as it’s ours,” she said.
More than 20 Chauncey Rose students participated. “The creativity is overwhelming,” Osburn said during judging there.
Sciotto, who created the “fire breather,” said, “It was kind of a random thing to make. I just found the right parts for it,” he said.
The “parts” included a large cardboard box and cardboard tubes, computer parts, plastic bottles and other items.
Chauncey Rose student Katie Akens made a duck out of a recycled water bottle, tissue paper (paper mache), tape and googly eyes.
Logan Fields used a computer monitor and other computer parts to make an electronic cyclops. “Stuff can be re-used and remade into anything that you want, you just have to be creative,” Fields said.
Jared Roe made a skateboard out of corrugated cardboard, cans and cardboard tubes. He doesn’t recycle much at home, but realizes it’s important “because it helps the environment.”
Other artwork included a football helmet made of a plastic jug; a killer robot made in part from a corn muffin box; and shoes and a dress covered with recycled paper.
Bennett, one of the judges, was impressed. “They put some thought into it,” he said. Jerse hopes the contest encourages students to recycle more.
On Thursday, judges also visited Otter Creek and Woodrow Wilson middle schools. Today they’ll go to Sarah Scott, Honey Creek and West Vigo.
At Otter Creek, students who attend an after-school program made five projects, including a large robot cell phone. School counselor Lorrie Scheidler said the projects helped students learn team work, creativity and cooperation, and they had fun in the process.
It also raised awareness on several levels, including “what you can create out of trash,” she said.
The first place prize is a $500 savings bond; second place, a $250 savings bond; and third place, a $100 savings bond.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com
