EVENTS CALENDAR

Art on a Rain Barrel Competition

Awards ceremony held September 19, 2009, at Navy Pier

The Chicago Botanic Garden and the governor of Illinois challenged creative, eco-conscious youth, ages 8 to 18, to submit designs for Art on a Rain Barrel (AoRB), an Illinois-wide environmental art contest. Students were encouraged to create teams to enter the contest. The top 50 teams (3–5 members) from throughout the state were invited to bring their designs to life at the AoRB festival on Saturday, September 19, as part of the Illinois governor's It's Our River Day 2009. Top designs received special prizes and recognition including public display at the Chicago Botanic Garden and other sites throughout the state of Illinois.

More than 30 teams of students from throughout Illinois participated in the event, which was presented by the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Illinois Governor, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Upcycle Products (www.upcycle-products.com).

Top-performing teams: stream division, 8 through 11 years old

PHOTO: untitled rain barrel entry

FIRST PLACE: (untitled),
Coached by Jennifer Graham, Dryden Elementary, Arlington Heights

Team members: Katy Henckel, Violet
Bethke, Tripp Turchik, Jonah Tomkor-
Smith, Meghan Weiss

PHOTO: "MADKA" rain barrel

SECOND PLACE: MADKA, Coached by Gauri Mohnalkar

Team members: Dhruva Mohnalkar,
Alec Avery, Max Gelhausen, Kai Dowling, Ameya Kunte

PHOTO: "The Stormers" rain barrel

THIRD PLACE: Stormers, Coached by Hallie Redman
Solomon Schechter Day Schools, Northbrook

Team members: Jack Nolan, Jake Einhorn, Zachary Harris

Brook Division: 12 through 15 years old

PHOTO: Da Barrels' rain barrel illustration PHOTO: painted rain barrel by Da Barrels

FIRST PLACE: Da Barrels, Coached by Tina Moulton
School of St. Mary, Lake Forest

Team members: Eileen Dempsey, Mary Claire Sabalaskey, Ben Schoeller, Clare Farrell, Maura Scopeletti

SECOND PLACE: Dreamers, Coached by Jonelle
McCloud, Proctor Recreation Center, Peoria

Team members: Ronald White, Celeste Gonzalez, Alice Curtis

PHOTO: "Armadillos" rain barrel

THIRD PLACE: Armadillos, Coached by Sylvia Peterson, Crone Middle School, Naperville

Team members: Katie Nelson, Amani Khan, Maddie Perna

River Division: 16 through 18 years old

FIRST PLACE: The Ducks, Coached by Jayme Mason, Washington Park District, Washington

PHOTO: The Ducks

Team members:
Amy Thierne,
Molly Brennan,
Laura Kammerman

SECOND PLACE: Team H2O, Coached by Jayme Mason, Washington Park District, Washington

PHOTO: Team H2O

Team members:
Michelle Marchini,
Gage Duvan,
Liz Wiegand

PHOTO: "Sunset" rain barrel

THIRD PLACE: Sunset, Coached by Jayme Mason
Washington Park District, Washington

Team members: Jordan Long, Jill Karcher, Tabitha Oary

Thanks

The Art on a Rain Barrel presenters wish to thank Navy Pier for providing a beautiful space for the event, McDonalds at Navy Pier for donating breakfast for the event, and Home Depot in Deerfield, IL, for providing paint and painting supplies for the event.

The Chicago Botanic Garden wishes to thank the following artists for kindly donating their rain barrel artwork to support this event:

Vivienne Visser, Chicago, IL www.vivianvisser.com
Gale Trausch, Woodstock, IL www.trauschpaintingmurals.com
Keely Hakala, Highland Park, IL
Andres L. Hernandez, Chicago, IL
Judith Joseph, Northbrook, IL www.judithjosephstudio.com
Maria Dimanshtein, Chicago, IL www.fantazerova.etsy.com
Theresa Cates, Sherwood, AR www.reddoorgalleryonline.com

Statewide Winners:

The following teams were invited to compete in the Art on a Rain Barrel Festival:

Cattails, Laurel Adams, Robinson
Dream Clean, Laurel Adams, Robinson
Green, Laurel Adams, Robinson
Happy Clean, Laurel Adams, Robinson
Rainflowers, Laurel Adams, Robinson
Scuba Divers, Laurel Adams, Robinson
The Crazy River Riders, Laurel Adams, Robinson
The Sailors, Laurel Adams, Robinson
The Mix, Arturo Barrera, Chicago
Girl Scout Troop 2794 - Team 1, Deb Besser, Oak Park
Girl Scout Troop 2794 - Team 2, Deb Besser, Oak Park
Perry on the Prairie, JoAnn Fritz, Dundee
Portage Panthers, Katherine Gallagly, Chicago
Pollution Busters, Amanda Godin Lynn Lazarus, Park Forest
The Water Warriors, Amanda Godin Lynn Lazarus, Park Forest
Team Name, Jennifer Graham, Arlington Heights
Whittier School, Claudia Greene, Chicago
ACS, Lisa Hollard, Zion
Team H2O, Jayme Mason, Washington
Team Raindrop, Jayme Mason, Washington
Team SlipnSlide, Jayme Mason, Washington
Team Sunset, Jayme Mason, Washington
Team The Ducks, Jayme Mason, Washington
Team WCHS, Jayme Mason, Washington
The Dreamers, Jonelle McCloud, Clara Gonzalez, Peoria
Warren Township High School Environmental Science, Mike Mieszala, Gurnee
Warren Township High School MECS, Mike Mieszala, Gurnee
MADKA, Gauri Mohnalkar, Alexa Avery, Evanston
Da Barrels, Tina Moulton, Lake Forest
Dream Team, Frank Novakowski, Wheaton
Go Green Too, Frank Novakowski, Wheaton
Rain Savers, Frank Novakowski, Wheaton
The Eco-Friendly Chicks, Frank Novakowski, Wheaton
The Sage Grouses, Frank Novakowski, Wheaton
Armadillos, Sylvia Peterson, Naperville
Pinkgals, Sylvia Peterson, Naperville
Beautiflies, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Flower Power, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Stormers, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
The Nature Boyz, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Thunder Sun, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Together Forever, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Water Girls, Hallie Redman, Highland Park
Aledo Jr. High Explorers, Mrs. Shelly Reusch, Aledo
Aledo Jr. High Explorers 2, Mrs. Shelly Reusch, Aledo
Aledo Jr. High Explorers 3, Mrs. Shelly Reusch, Aledo
80th and Kimbark Block Club, Kimberly Sambou, Chicago
Environmental, Gail Slowinski, Chicago
Water Fighters, Sara Wentz, Scales Mound
Lords of Fresh Water in Oakwood, Breanna Whittum, Fithian
Green Team, Kristine Wille, Yorkville
Artist@Heart, Linda Doyle Vicki Tucker, Long Grove
Highland Park High School, Tom Koulentes, Highland Park

Art on a Rainbarrel competition sponsored by: Deerfield Home Depot, McDonalds at Navy Pier, Upcycle Products