When Jamie Ormond walked into the North Campus library last year, the Recycling Club advisor observed students and staff members examining and discussing Recycled Art contest submissions. Realizing that the student participant’s work and creativity had paid off, a wave of pride washed through Ormond, the event’s host.

“It is always rewarding to see the student body and administration admire the artwork students entered in the contest,” Ormond said. “All of the contestants deserve to be recognized for their efforts,”

Run by the recycling club, the Recycled Art contest raises awareness for the environment, provides students with a creative outlet, and gives kids the opportunity to show off their talents, Ormond said. Held on Friday, Oct. 31 in the North Campus library, entries for the contest can be submitted to North Campus room 334 up until Oct. 29. Ormond will personally be picking up South Campus submissions to encourage underclassman participation, as students of all ages and artistic ability are welcome to participate.

Alongside environmentally-invested students, several art club members will showcase their talents through the contest, art club member Kyle Leonida ’16 said.

“The recycled art contest is a fantastic way for anyone to show off their creativity, no matter how artistically talented they are,” Leonida ’16 said. “Plus, it is a great way to reuse any recycled materials.”

Contest participants have slight material and design restrictions, Tom Swiontek, recycling club’s second advisor, said. Entries must be made from at least 70% reused materials to reinforce the environmental aspect of the contest, and they must be school appropriate. Other than that, the artwork can take any form, from that of jewelry to portraits.

“One of the most memorable pieces of [previous] art was earrings a student made using Pringles cans and other recycled materials,” Swiontek said. “It was impressive that they were made from about 99% reused materials. In fact, the only non recycled material she used was glue.”

In order to prevent bias, art pieces will remain anonymous during the voting period, Swiontek said. Students and staff members can vote by writing the number assigned to the piece on a slip of paper and putting it in a ballot box located in the library. Winners will be announced over the loud speaker on Monday, Nov. 3, and the first place winner will receive a $15 Chipotle gift card, with second and third place winners awarded a $5 Red Mango gift card. All three pieces will be photographed for the LT website and put on display in the North Campus library during the month of November.