Pingree Grove siblings win Metra safety poster contest
Metra recently announced the winners of its second annual safety poster contest designed to promote railroad safety practices to students in kindergarten through high school throughout the six-county northeastern Illinois region.
Demetrius and Cecilia Pappas of Cambridge Lakes Charter School in Pingree Grove won first place for kindergarten and fourth grade, respectively.
The transit agency received more than 1,500 entries from more than 100 schools throughout the region marking significant growth in Metra's safety campaign efforts.
As a result, Metra was recently recognized by the Illinois Safety Council as the recipient of this year's Safety Public Outreach Award.
"This year's contest has been an overwhelming success with participation from every county in the region," said Philip A. Pagano, Executive Director of Metra. "Not only have the students shown extraordinary talent and creativity in their poster design, but most importantly, they have also exhibited tremendous leadership in articulating the importance of railroad safety to their peers."
The theme of this year's safety poster contest, "Play it Safe: Look, Listen, and Live," was chosen to recognize the importance of fundamental safety behaviors that people should commit to around trains and railroad tracks.
The first place winning poster designs will be featured in more than 2,000 schools in the region throughout the year to encourage safety around trains. The designs will also be pictured on Metra's monthly commuter tickets, featured in Metra's annual safety calendar, and displayed in Metra train stations throughout northeastern Illinois.
This year's judging panel, made up of local government officials, emergency responders, representatives from safety advocacy groups, members of the media and Metra representatives, judged each poster based on creativity, originality and appropriate representation of the contest theme.
"We are so pleased that our judging panel took time from their busy schedules to participate because they recognize the importance of reinforcing safety rules to help keep our children safe around trains," said Pagano. "School administrators and teachers are to be commended for also taking the time to engage students in discussions on safety and making rail road rules part of their lesson plans." First, second and third place winners were chosen from each grade level. The first place winners received a new laptop. The second and third place winners received $250 and $100 gift cards respectively.
The following participants were chosen as the contest's first place winners:
Demetrius Pappas, Kindergarten, Cambridge Lakes Charter School
Shintaro Dee, First Grade, Central Park Elementary School
Giovanny Alexis Rodriguez, Second Grade, Avondale Elementary School
Natalie Lindquist, Third Grade, Lincoln Elementary School
Cecilia Pappas, Fourth Grade, Cambridge Lakes Charter School
Rosalba Herrera, Fifth Grade, Currier Elementary School
Reynaldo Rodriguez, Sixth Grade, Logandale Middle School
Dominique Bloink, Seventh Grade, Northbrook Junior High School
Leighann Baxa, Eighth Grade, Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
Heather Kuipers, Ninth Grade, Lincoln-Way East High School
Tim Tucker, Tenth Grade, Beecher High School
Harrison Kuykendall, 11th Grade, Cary-Grove High School
Emily Harvey, Twelfth Grade, Cary-Grove High School
Due to the overwhelming success of the Second Annual Metra Safety Poster Contest, Metra is currently in the planning stages for next year's contest. Information regarding the 2008-2009 Safety Poster contest will be announced later this fall at www.metracontest.com.