ISRI, JASON Learning award student video and poster contest winners

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, and JASON Learning, Ashburn, Virginia, have announced the winners of the nationwide 2017 Youth Video & Poster Contest designed to promote the value of recycling among youth. 

Seventh grade student Jacob Folwell from Caldwell, Idaho, won this year’s grand prize with his video submission detailing the process of recycling automobiles. 

“Educating future generations on the role recycling plays in the environment, economy and society is a large part of ISRI’s advocacy and outreach efforts,” says Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “It guarantees the success and long-term durability of the recycling industry for years to come. Combining art and video with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education to teach recycling allows kids the opportunity to learn about the science and technology of recycling through their own creativity.”

This year’s video contest had two themes. Students in grades K-12 were asked to submit a video that illustrates the process and challenges that go along with recycling something that is “Bigger than the Bin” into a reusable form, or connecting with a professional working in the recycling industry and interviewing them to learn about their work and career path. The poster contest theme focused on ISRI’s role as the “Voice of the Recycling Industry.”

Folwell’s video submission used Legos to demonstrate the step-by-step process of how a car is recycled, including how it goes through a shredder. The video provides information on the amount of energy saved from recycling cars as well as the environmental benefits of avoiding mining for ore. Throughout the video, ISRI notes it is clear Folwell did a significant amount of research on how recycling works and the benefits it provides.

“In everything we do at JASON we try to link kids to the real-world applications of the science subjects they study in school,” says Patrick Shea, executive vice president of JASON. “Contests such as this one are a way for them to explore areas of STEM that they might otherwise never think of, or make a personal connection with.”

Judges evaluated entries on the interpretation and clarity of the theme to the viewer, the persuasiveness of the message, creativity and originality, the quality of the entry, and the overall impression of the entry.

Winners for this year’s poster contest, by grade category are:

• Elementary School - Max Zwilsky, Leesburg, Virginia;
• Middle School - Malisa Lo, Kapolei, Hawaii; and
• High School - Alexandra Fryman, Plainview, New York.

Grand prize winner Folwell was recognized at ISRI’s Annual Convention & Exposition held April 22-28 in New Orleans. All winners and finalists are featured on the ISRI website. All finalists received a certificate, a full year of JASON online access for the entrant and teacher/facilitator, and a contest T-shirt. Entries receiving honorable mentions received certificates and T-shirts.