Student’s Conservation Contest Entry Earns Him ‘Barrels” of Praise

When Parker Bozzi was told he had to report to principal Cathy Slee’s office two weeks ago, the 7-year-old was nervous.

“I thought I was in trouble,” he said.

Instead, what awaited Parker was the news he was the winner of the 2011 Rain Barrel Contest sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Because one of its students was a winner in the contest, Oakwood School received a free rain barrel that was previously used to store liquid hand soap.

For the contest, elementary school districts across the state received, via email, a blank template of a rain barrel’s exterior for the students to decorate. Winning entries were chosen by IDOT based on which designs best promote water re-use. Creativity and artistic quality were considered.

The winners were recognized in conjunction with Earth Day.

Parker said he was compelled to draw a spring picture on his rain barrel template.

“I have flowers and bees and butterflies,” he said. “I think it is beautiful.”

His parents, Chris and Jennifer Bozzi, along with an aunt, were able to be in Slee’s office when Parker was called in.

“We’re so proud of him,” Jennifer Bozzi said. “When we first heard he won we said, ‘Really? That’s so cool.’”

Parker told his parents about being worried when he was initially called to the office.

“He told me he thought, ‘Why would I have to go there? It’s not my birthday,’” Jennifer Bozzi said with a laugh. “He’s a good kid — he doesn’t get in trouble.”

Parker’s family actually knew he was a winner for several weeks.

“We didn’t want to tell him,” Jennifer Bozzi said. “We thought we’d let him be surprised.”

Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig lauded the students who participated in the contest for “their hard work, dedication and artistic ability to help preserve and sustain our environment at a local level.”

“IDOT is proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Corrections on this award-winning contest and will continue to utilize creative and cost-effective green initiatives to positively impact the state,” he said.

Slee is proud of Parker’s win.

“His illustration is a beautiful picture of nature and it will be an asset to either our courtyard or out front with the tulips,” she said.

The contest idea earned IDOT a Green Government Award for 2010 from the Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council at the recent Annual Sustainable Symposium in Springfield. The award, based on demonstrating an exceptional commitment to improving the environmental quality of Illinois, was in the Water Quality & Conservation category.
               
Illinois Correctional Industries, a division of the Illinois Department of Corrections donated the rain barrels at no cost to taxpayers, as part of the IDOC recycling program.