Students turn trash to treasure in recycling poster contest

Six elementary school students won awards for their artwork in the Town of Hempstead’s recycling poster contest co-sponsored by Covanta Energy.

Students submissions were divided by age into two categories, grades 1 through 4 and grades 5 through 8. Covanta provided prizes for the winners, including a Samsung tablet for the two first place finishers and Barnes & Noble gift cards for the second and third place finishers.

Town officials also presented the winning students with special Certificates of Recognition and detailed plans to display the students’ artwork on town recycling trucks. 

The winners from grades 1 through 4 were first-place finisher Elise Lo Castro from Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School in Island Park and Ariana Bacchus and Nicholas Cottone of the Notre Dame School in New Hyde Park who took second and third place.

In grades 5 through 8, the winners were Madison Lee of the Notre Dame School in New Hyde Park who took first prize; second-place finisher Heyzell Maldonado of Jackson Main Elementary School in Hempstead; and Michael Molite of Oceanside Project Extra in Oceanside, who took third place.