County's solid waste district wants to add a mascot

The Auglaize County Solid Waste District wants to make learning more exciting with a mascot and wants participation from local schools in that process.

Office Coordinator and Environmental Educator Alexa Rohm said the idea has been brewing for a few months as she investigated ways to expand education to area schools, focusing on ways to interact with children of all ages.

“Sometimes you just need a little bit extra,” Rohm said.

Rohm was especially open to ideas from high school students when it comes to a mascot design but is open to hearing from students at all levels.

With many teachers pressed for time as they balance different formats for learning, Rohm hopes to present something that won’t take any extra effort on the part of educators.

Rohm is hoping that a mascot could grab attention for a fiveminute video to keep students informed about recycling. She said it was a great way for schools to participate. “Everything for the last year has been kind of drab and awful and this is something to get excited about,” she said.

“A lot of our Solid Waste Districts in Ohio have mascots,” Rohm said.

Examples include Robby the Recycling Raccoon and Doris the Recyclesaurus.

She wants the mascot to be exciting and relatable. She said in the COVID -19 era, those mascots have taken on new virtual forms as well. Rohm, who has young children of her own, knows what it takes to get their attention.

“My 3-three-year olds would rather listen to an animated dragon than their mother any time of the day. If this dragon teaches them a song and they are learning something it’s so much more exciting,” Rohm said. “I want a mascot I can bring to life or keep virtual.”

She also is open to the mascot having a skill.

“Maybe he’s super good at dunking aluminum cans from five feet,” Rohm offered.

Rohm said any idea they receive could be built upon. Submissions are due by April 1. Those submissions can be emailed to arohm@auglaizecounty.org submissions should include students name school and teacher, along with a mascot idea, possible skill, and or sketch.