Litter Education UnCapped Contest
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful invites elementary students to take on the issue of littering by creating artwork made from plastic bottle caps! Photos of the submitted pieces will be featured on a contest website, where the public will vote to select three finalists. The winner will be chosen from the finalists based on the strength of a required group essay. Educators and group leaders are encouraged to incorporate this project into their curriculum or programming to help students understand the importance of recycling and creative reuse. Along with the artwork, students must submit a 200–300-word collaborative essay explaining what they learned through the project, why recycling matters, the harmful effects of littering, and how they can encourage others to take action. Finalists will be invited to attend the Student Environmental Champions Awards!
2025-2026 Uncapped Timeline
Registration
August 18–September 19, 2025
Submission
September 22–October 31, 2025
Public Online Vote
Late October
Finalists Announced
Mid-November
Winner Announced and Honored
March 2026 at the
Student Environmental Champions Awards
2024 UnCapped Contest Winners
PreK-4th Grade Division
Mrs. Jones’ Kindergarten Class at Seiling Elementary created their project, titled Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, that includes a outline of our state, things that are important to them as a class. They want to help keep Oklahoma beautiful and healthy by recycling and not littering.
5th & 6th Grade Division
Mrs. Sullivan’s 5th Grade Class at Canton Public Schools wins the 5th & 6th Grade Division with their project titled, Native American Headdress that features a variety of bottle caps and lids! Their essay titled Reuse It, or Lose It ends with the message, "Kids and adults can help recycle and stop pollution."
To see a list of Frequently Asked Questions for all Litter Education contests please click here.
If you have any further questions regarding the UnCapped contest, please call (405) 286-9141 or email education@keepok.org
