Volunteer Recycling Committee at RWS Launches Essay Competition and Scholarship for High School Seniors

Winner of essay competition to be awarded $1,000 scholarship

PORTLAND, Maine - The Recycling Committee of Regional Waste Systems, Inc., a non-profit municipal solid waste and recycling organization serving 27 towns in southern Maine, has launched an essay competition for high school students accepted or enrolled in a two- or four-year college. The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used toward tuition, books or other college fees.

The essay competition rules and entry form can be found at the organization's web site, http://www.regionalwaste.org. Essays are due by April 16, and may be submitted by high school seniors who are residents of any of the 27 cities and towns served by RWS. They are: Baldwin, Bridgton, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Cumberland, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harrison, Hiram, Hollis, Limington, Lyman, Naples, North Yarmouth, Ogunquit, Parsonsfield, Phippsburg, Porter, Portland, Pownal, Scarborough, South Portland, Standish, Waterboro, Windham, and Yarmouth.

High school seniors entering the competition must also show a history of academic excellence and community involvement. Materials will be evaluated and judged by the volunteer recycling committee, made up of RWS board members from member communities.

"We wanted to promote recycling among our younger populations," said Carol Fritz, chair of the RWS Recycling Committee. "And we thought an essay contest would be the best way to do that."

The group obtained copyright permission from the comic strip "Cathy" for the contest, which asks students to answer the following question:

Essay Question: Paper vs. Plastic: How can we become environmentally conscious consumers?

Students may obtain and submit application to: Recycling Essay Competition, Regional Waste Systems, Inc., 64 Blueberry Road, Portland, Maine 04102. For additional information, persons may call Eric Root at 773-6465. Applications may also be submitted by e-mail to rwssch@regionalwaste.org.

Regional Waste Systems, Inc. is a non-profit solid waste management corporation that is owned and controlled by 21 cities and towns, and also has six associate member towns. RWS is also the largest municipal recycling organization in the state. Established in 1974 after Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough decided to form a cooperative to handle their waste disposal, today RWS is governed by a 28-member board, consisting of officials appointed from member towns. RWS accepts solid waste and recycled materials from these communities and also has a comprehensive, state-of-the-art recycling program with more than 100 recycling bins in 60 locations. For additional information on RWS, visit the RWS web site, http://www.regionalwaste.org.

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