Message from Shay Grant – Clean Campus State Coordinator
Happy New Year! Now is the perfect time to incorporate cleanups or campus beautification projects into your school’s routine. If you’re looking for inspiration or guidance, I’m always happy to help—just reach out! And if I haven’t had the chance to visit your school yet, I would love to schedule an in-person presentation to share our litter-education message with your students.
Thank you to every school, teacher, and student who participates in the Clean Campus Program. Your commitment to litter prevention, environmental stewardship, creative projects, and community cleanups truly makes a difference. It takes all of us to keep Alabama the Beautiful!
Our annual poster and recycled art contests are wonderful ways to spark excitement about keeping Alabama clean. This year’s poster theme is “Litter Free – Way to Be!” Please begin with a school-level contest and forward only your top three posters for statewide judging in K-3 and in 4-6. Be sure to review the judging guidelines with your students as they plan their artwork and double-check that all required contact information is included on the back of each winning entry. All submissions are due to the PALS Office April 16, 2026.
The Recycled Art Contest for grades 7-12 has no specific theme, so let creativity shine! We welcome both 2-D and 3-D pieces made entirely from recycled materials aside from a small amount of necessary fastening supplies. As with the poster contest, please send only your school’s top three entries. Projects can be delivered in person or submitted digitally if the piece is too heavy or difficult to transport. If a digital entry is selected as a winner, the physical artwork must be delivered to the PALS office soon after notification. Please attach all required contact information to the artwork.
Entries are due to the PALS office April 16, 2025.
Winners, schools, and PALS county contacts will be notified by May 8, 2026. All winning students will be recognized and presented with their awards at the Annual Governor’s Awards Luncheon in November 2026.
If your school is not yet enrolled, it’s not too late! Visit www.alpals.org to join the Clean Campus Program. Enrollment is FREE for all Alabama schools thanks to the generosity of Coca-Cola, Vulcan, ALFA, and the Alabama Farmers Cooperative. If you have any questions about the program or our contests, please contact me at (334) 263-7737 or [email protected].
— Shay Grant