Schuylerville Elementary students make recycled carton creation

Milk carton horseSchuylerville Elementary School Art Club students have built a massive replica of the school mascot out of more than 1,300 recycled milk cartons. It’s all part of the “Made By Milk” contest, which encourages students to build strong bones with milk and flex their creative muscles by repurposing milk cartons.

Students in the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade art clubs have been working for more than a month on the project. They began by collecting the milk cartons from the food services staff in the cafeteria and then deciding as a group what they should build.

“When I first proposed the idea of doing the project, they were very excited,” said art teacher Michael Shea. “I had each student in the fifth-grade art club submit an idea, then we voted as a group.”

The result is an eight-and-a-half foot tall horse that is currently located in the school’s lobby. The students are hoping they impress the panel of judges and win one of the cash prizes to help beautify the courtyard outside the elementary school.

“The students have a bunch of ideas, including having a sculpture garden, an outdoor mural wall and picnic tables with art permanently painted on them,” Shea said.

The judges will select one $5,000 grand prize winner and three $1,000 winners. There is also a $2,500 prize for the sculpture that receives the most votes from the public. Voting on the People’s Choice sculpture begins on Nov. 30. Click here to vote for the Schuylerville Elementary School Art Club’s creation.