LYNN – As the city-wide winner of this year’s Keep Lynn Clean contest, Lynn Woods Elementary School’s soon-to-be third grader Clara O’Brien’s artwork is now on display at the intersection of Broadway and Lynnfield Street.
At-Large Councilor Brian Field and Ward 5 Councilor Dianne Chakoutis, who co-chair Lynn’s litter and trash subcommittee, met with Clara and her family Tuesday afternoon to honor her at her billboard.
“It was a close vote, but you won, and you’re the city-wide winner,” Field said to a round of applause.
He then gave Clara a certificate on behalf of Mayor Jared C. Nicholson, who could not be in attendance himself, and said the certificate was “in recognition of your artistic talent and outstanding contribution to the City of Lynn.” Chakoutis then gave Clara the certificate signed by all city councilors to honor Lynn Woods Elementary School as well as Clara as the winners of the contest.
The Keep Lynn Clean contest was created by the litter and trash subcommittee because, according to Field, “we felt it was important to educate kids.
“Educating young people about littering is an important component for us to address the littering issues in our city,” Field said.
The Keep Lynn Clean contest is a way for second graders to learn about Earth Day and the importance of protecting the planet. If they’d like to participate, second graders are asked to draw something to signify this importance.
Out of the 21 participating schools, Lynn Woods took the city-wide win for the first time in the program’s six years. The contest began in 2018 but took two years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each participating school selects their winning student along with their artwork to be submitted to the City, which then chooses the city-wide winner among the 21 drawings.
According to Field, all 21 winners get their drawing printed on a poster 50 times to be displayed in businesses around the city. The 21 posters are also on display at City Hall. He added, “Every student who creates a poster has theirs displayed in their schools to help create awareness.”
Marie Zukas, Lynn Woods second grade Teacher, said she was “super excited” for Clara and added, “She really deserved it.
“Clara is the youngest of five children, and I’ve had them all, so I feel very connected to Clara and her family, so my excitement I felt for her was really strong – especially knowing the family so well,” Zukas said. “She did a great job. She was super neat. Everything she does is super neat, so I’m not surprised that won.”
Zukas added she’s thankful the City has this contest.
“It brings light to Earth Day and what it’s about,” she said. “We have so many things to teach in school that sometimes it’s hard to take a break and talk about important things that are not part of the curriculum, but this contest lets me do that.
“I also like that they keep it as a tradition for second grade because it’s something the kids look forward to. They’ve seen the bulletin board in the hallway when they’re first graders, when they’re kindergarteners, and they know that when they’re in second grade, they’re going to have a chance to enter that contest.”
When asked why she participated in this voluntary contest, Clara said, “I wanted to help the City keep Lynn clean.” She added she put a lot of work into her drawing, and it seems her hard work paid off.
Clara’s mom Andrea O’Brien said Clara wandered the house looking for the “perfect circle” to draw her Earth. She wound up using a candle holder to help create the perfect circle seen on the billboard. Clara’s dad Brendan O’Brien added Clara always gives everything her all, and “we couldn’t be more proud of her.”
