Young recycling artists claim their prizes

The winners of the 2012 Recycle More Art Contest were beaming with smiles when they recently received cash prizes for their Christmas decoration entries.

Keep Bastrop County Beautiful Chairwoman Dorothy Skarnulis said more than 100 Smithville, Bastrop and Elgin students participated in the art contest this year by submitting a Christmas ornament made from recycled materials.

“Participants from throughout the county showed their amazing creativity,” Skarnulis said. “We enjoyed the looks of the students when they saw their prizes as a reward for their creativity and effort and the feeling that they know a bit more about recycling now.”

The contest is sponsored by an H-E-B Green Bag grant.

“This is our second year to receive the Green Bag grant from Keep Texas Beautiful and H-E-B,” Skarnulis said. “Last year it was limited to students in (the Bastrop school district) and so we expanded participation to be more inclusive.”

The ornaments are on display at the Elgin H-E-B store as a part of Festivi Trees, a project that showcases Christmas trees made from recycled materials at local businesses.