Winners of the 2015 edition of Metra’s Safety Poster and Essay Contest were honored June 17 at the June meeting of the Metra Board of Directors.
Sixteen first-place winners from across the Metra service area were introduced to the Board at the meeting and presented with plaques and iPads in recognition of their efforts to promote train safety.
The contest is designed to promote and reinforce railroad safety messages and keep our region’s children safe around trains. More than 4,800 students from across the region participated in this year’s contest, creating artwork or writing essays around the theme “Unplug for Safety, Look Listen Live.”
Each year, Metra’s Safety Contest invites students in grades K-12 throughout its six-county service area to submit poster designs and essays highlighting the importance of railroad safety. Tasked with selecting the winners was a panel of 28 judges, including government officials, representatives from safety and education advocacy groups, business and community leaders, media and railroad professionals.
“Electronic distractions are a part of all our lives but not being aware of our surroundings can have serious consequences, especially near railroad tracks,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “These talented students’ posters and essays are creatively helping us reinforce this safety message not just among their peers but to everyone in the region who interacts with the railroad, either as rider or a motorist.”
First, second, and third-place winners were chosen from each grade level for the Metra Safety Poster Contest. One winner from each grade group – elementary school, middle school and high school – was chosen for the Safety Essay Contest. First-place poster and essay contest winners receive an iPad, while second- and third-place poster contest winners receive $250 and $100 gift cards, respectively.
The People’s Choice Award winner is Grace Fox, a 10th grader at Oak Park River Forest H.S. More than 500 people voted online and selected her artwork as the favorite. She will receive an additional $250 prize.
Metra also recognizes the school with the most entries submitted in the poster contest. This year’s winner is Elgin’s Hilltop Elementary with more than 450 entries. In honor of this achievement, the school will receive a computer for use in the classroom.
The first-place poster designs will be featured in Metra’s 2016 safety calendar, on weekend tickets and on the Metra website. Winning safety essays will also be featured in the safety calendar, the Metra website and Facebook page. The second and third place posters will also be featured on the contest’s Facebook page.
Metra’s Safety Contest, which is in its ninth year, would not be possible without the support of its sponsors, whose generous contributions have helped Metra defray the costs of the contest prizes as well as the production of the safety posters. This year’s contest sponsor is the Hubbard Radio Group, owners of Chicago radio stations 97.1 FM The Drive, 100.3 WSHE and 101.9 The Mix.
