LIMA, Ohio (May 7, 2018) - Artistic groups in Wyandot and Allen counties both now hold a new title: plow painting champions.

Art Connections, a leg of Angeline Industries located in Carey, was voted the overall ODOT choice award winner at this year’s Paint the Plow contest. Employees at the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 voted for the best plow design at the district’s roadeo event on May 2. Crestview High School came in second place, and McComb High School and Miller City High School tied for third.

Apollo Career Center, located in Lima, won the people’s choice award, which was decided based on social media votes. Apollo garnered 925 votes on ODOT District 1’s Facebook page contest, followed closely by Continental High School. Continental High School received 914 votes, and in third place, McComb High School totaled 727 votes.

ODOT District 1 has held a Paint the Plow contest annually since 2014. It allows high schools and vocational schools within the district’s eight-county region to paint an ODOT snowplow blade with a message of school spirit, Ohio pride, patriotism or safety.

In the program’s inaugural year, 21 schools participated – a number that had not been matched until this year. This year, 21 schools across all eight counties in District 1 painted a plow blade for the contest.

“We’re glad to see that communities continue to embrace this opportunity to display their schools’ spirit, values and creative talent,” said Kirk Slusher, deputy director of ODOT District 1. “Our area has been blessed with the talent to make our fleet a bit more colorful year after year, and this year’s contestants clearly gave it their all. It was a tight race.”

County garage employees chose their favorite entry from their respective counties to go forward to the final round of judging for the overall ODOT choice award, as voted by all employees at the district’s roadeo event last week. The county winners are listed below.

• Allen County: Apollo Career Center
• Defiance County: Ayersville High School
• Hancock County: McComb High School
• Hardin County: Hardin Northern High School
• Paulding County: Wayne Trace High School
• Putnam County: Miller City High School
• Van Wert County: Crestview High School
• Wyandot County: Art Connections of Angeline Industries

ODOT District 1 serves eight counties in northwest Ohio, including Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Wyandot. 

Schools that participated this year include Lima City, Shawnee, Lima Central Catholic, Allen East, Apollo Career Center, Ayersville, Cory-Rawson, McComb, Hardin Northern, Antwerp, Wayne Trace, Leipsic, Jennings Local, Continental, Ottawa-Glandorf, Pandora-Gilboa, Miller City-New Cleveland, Crestview, Lincolnview, Mohawk and Art Connections. Photos of all entries can be found on ODOT District 1's Facebook page.

The Ohio Department of Transportation maintains the state's largest man-made asset – the transportation system. ODOT's mission is to provide the safe and easy movement of people and goods from place to place. As a $2.8 billion per year enterprise, ODOT invests the bulk of its resources in system preservation through maintenance, construction and snow and ice operations.