NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ASHBURN, VA (May 14, 2025) — JASON Learning and the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) are proud to announce the winners, finalists, and honorable mentions of the 2024–2025 ReMA/JASON Learning Youth Recycling Contest. This year’s contest saw a record-breaking 454 submissions from 618 students across seven states—Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In a year marked by growing awareness of environmental issues, more than 600 students stepped up to creatively tackle recycling challenges in the contest. Students were invited to submit projects in teams of one or two, encouraging collaboration alongside individual creativity. The contest offered two submission categories—poster and video—with poster submissions outnumbering video entries three to one.
Out of hundreds of impressive projects, the judging panel recognized:
- Two winners
- Six finalists
- 31 honorable mentions
Poster Contest Winners:
Caroline McKee (Grade 4) and Maria McKee (Grade 5) of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Holland, Michigan, earned top honors for their standout poster. Their design skillfully showcases the three essential principles of effective recycling—efficiency, evidence, and education. Judges praised the entry for being eye-catching, informative, and research-backed. Thank you to their teacher, Chihhsuan Pierce, for supporting her students in submitting this incredible poster
Video Contest Winner:
Anushka Misra (Grade 8) from Gainesville Middle School in Gainesville, Virginia, claimed the top video prize. Her submission impressed the judges with its compelling visuals, fast-paced storytelling, and fact-based narrative, making it an ideal candidate for a youth-focused social media public service announcement. Notably, Anushka was also a 2023 contest finalist in the poster category—her earlier work is still featured on JASON’s website. Thank you to her parent, Anshul Misra, for supporting Anushka in submitting this winning video.
Celebrating the Power of Youth Voices
As part of their recognition, this year’s contest winners were invited to attend the ReMA 2025 Convention in San Diego, California—the world’s largest gathering of recycled materials industry professionals. Onstage in front of nearly 7,000 attendees, the students were honored for their outstanding work and had the unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders, showcase their winning poster and video, and hear from inspiring speakers across the recycling and sustainability fields. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that celebrated their achievements while reinforcing the real-world impact of their ideas.
“We are thrilled to see such an outpouring of enthusiasm and talent from students across the nation. Their ability to blend creativity with science to promote recycling reflects exactly the kind of leadership our world needs.”
—Dr. Eleanor Smalley, President and CEO at JASON Learning
About the ReMA/JASON Learning Youth Recycling Contest
The Youth Recycling Contest is an annual initiative hosted in partnership by JASON Learning and the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). The contest encourages students in grades K–12 to explore and promote the value of recycling through creative projects that raise awareness and inspire action in their communities.
Explore the full list of winners, finalists, and honorable mentions from the 2024–25 ReMA/JASON Youth Recycling Contest at: https://jason.org/2024-rema-jason-recycling-contest/.
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About JASON Learning
JASON Learning is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit transforming science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education through real-world STEM curricula, project-based learning experiences for PreK-12 students, and high-quality professional development for teachers. JASON’s mission is to “inspire and educate students everywhere through real science and exploration.”
JASON Media Contact:
Jenna Davis, jdavis@jason.org.
