ODOT announces winning designs from districtwide program

MEDIA RELEASE_The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 is excited to reveal this year's winners of the annual Paint-the-Plow contest. Voting closed at 3 p.m. on May 20.

People's Choice and ODOT's Choice
Upper Scioto Valley High School art students' plow featuring the Declaration of Independence earned the most votes in both the ODOT's Choice award and the People's Choice award. The artwork earned 1,515 votes on Facebook in total likes, shares, and comments, taking home the People's Choice Award and it received the most votes from ODOT personnel during the annual roadeo held on May 12.

Pictured above are (back row from left) Jozet Stinson, DJ Helton, Peighten Burden, Wyatt Davis, Carter Oglesbee, Lexy Tilton, McKayla Bradley, Mariah Burns (front row, from left) Makenzie Firebaugh, Jaylin Hendrickson, Kaylee Newman, Allison Stansbery, Evalyn Hernandez-Retterer, Mali Peoples, and Ella Blair.

"This year, students were asked to create artwork celebrating the United States' Semiquincentennial or Ohio's contributions to the nation's progress and success. The effort and creativity they poured into this theme is outstanding. We can't wait to showcase these pieces at parades and county fairs all summer long. They are so good, we will be reluctant to put them into use come winter and where the paint will begin to chip away," said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 Deputy Director.

Ada High School
Students artists with Statue of Liberty plow: (from left) Tempy Simon, Maeby Alger, Olivia Burkheimer, Katie Riblet, Lynkin McDougle, Alex Gibson, Lydia Demascio, Jordyn Smith, Emma Lambdin, Callie Burgess, and Kaylie Klear. The design received 779 votes on Facebook, earning second place in the People's Choice Award.

Hardin Northern 
Student artists with Home of the Free plow: (from left) Kiley Preston, Rayne Frater, Lexi Oakley, Morgan Stewart, Taelyn Egbert, and Mya Whitaker.

The plow received 1,267 votes on Facebook earning second place in the People's Choice Award.

ABOUT THE CONTEST

Since 2014, ODOT District 1 has hosted an annual Paint-the-Plow contest, with a brief hiatus in 2020 and 2021. Schools unleash their creativity on real snowplows in this program which fosters community engagement, highway safety, school spirit, and color on the winter landscape. This year 24 schools participated from all nine counties in District 1.

ODOT District 1 services nine counties in northwest Ohio, including Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Wyandot.