TN.gov Newsroom

 

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Energy Policy Office, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Tennessee Department of Education, announced today a call for entries in an energy art competition for Tennessee second and seventh graders. The “Think Clean, Think Green, It’s in the Bag!” contest invites students to create and submit a design to be printed on a reusable shopping bag and a written paragraph explaining the meaning of their design.

 

“It is imperative to engage children from an early age in the important acts of recycling and energy conservation,” said ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber. “Even with something as simple as the design of a reusable shopping bag, we can instill a green practice in students that will last a lifetime and keep Tennesseans moving forward in green practices.”

 

This statewide project aims to educate students on the benefits of conserving energy and other resources through such practices as using reusable shopping bags. It also provides an opportunity for students to conduct research and apply their findings in both written work and creative design. State of Tennessee education standards in science, language arts and visual arts are addressed in this project.

 

Participating schools should select one entry each from their grades two and seven submissions to represent the school at the state level competition. A winner will be selected statewide from each grade level and that winner will receive a $500 prize. Second place winners will receive $300, and third place winners will receive $200. Each of the six winning teachers-sponsors will receive $200 for the classroom and 500 reusable shopping bags with their student’s design.

 

The deadline to enter the “Think Clean, Think Green, It’s in the Bag!” competition is Saturday, March 6. To download an entry form, visit http://www.tn.gov/ecd/CD energy.html. For more information call the Tennessee Energy Hotline at (800) 342-1340 or e-mail Ramona Nelson at Ramona.Nelson@tn.gov.

 

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to create higher skilled, better paying jobs for all Tennesseans. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd.

 

 

Contact: Valerie Somerville, ECD

Office: (615) 532-1925

E-mail: valerie.somerville@tn.gov