Metra has announced the winners of its second annual
safety poster contest designed to promote railroad safety
practices to students kindergarten through twelfth grade
throughout the six-county Northeastern Illinois region.
First place winners include Heather Kuipers of
Lincoln-Way East High School for ninth grade and Tim
Tucker of Beecher High School for tenth grade. Second
place winners include Chris Scott of Lincoln-Way East
High School for ninth grade and Becca Sala of Beecher
High School for twelfth grade.
The transit agency received more than 1,500 entries
from more than 100 schools throughout the region marking
significant growth and momentum in Metra’s already
aggressive safety campaign efforts. As a result, Metra
was recently recognized by the Illinois Safety Council
as the recipient of this year’s Safety Public Outreach
Award.
“This year’s contest has been an overwhelming success
with participation from every county in the region,” said
Philip A. Pagano, Executive Director of Metra. “Not only have the students shown extraordinary talent and creativity
in their poster design, but most importantly, they have
also exhibited tremendous leadership in articulating the
importance of railroad safety to their peers.”
The theme of this year’s safety poster contest, “Play it
Safe: Look, Listen, and Live,” was chosen to recognize the
importance of fundamental safety behaviors that people
should commit to around trains and railroad tracks.
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The first place winning poster designs will be featured
in more than 2,000 schools in the region throughout the
year to encourage safety around trains. The designs will
also be pictured on Metra’s monthly commuter tickets,
featured in Metra’s annual safety calendar, and displayed
in Metra train stations throughout Northeastern Illinois.
This year’s judging panel, made up of local
government officials, emergency responders,
representatives from safety advocacy groups, members
of the media and Metra representatives, judged each
poster based on creativity, originality and appropriate
representation of the contest theme.
“We are so pleased that our judging panel took
time from their busy schedules to participate because
they recognize the importance of reinforcing safety
rules to help keep our children safe around trains,” said
Pagano. “School administrators and teachers are to be
commended for also taking the time to engage students
in discussions on safety and making rail road rules part
of their lesson plans.”
First, second and third place winners were chosen
from each grade level. The first place winners received a
new laptop. The second and third place winners received
$250 and $100 gift cards respectively.
Due to the overwhelming success of the Second
Annual Metra Safety Poster Contest, Metra is currently in
the planning stages for next year’s contest. Information
regarding the 2008-2009 Safety Poster contest will be
announced later this fall at www.metracontest.com.
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