Students named regional winners in PennDOT plow contest

Nine Fox Chapel Area High School students and a teacher painted a snowplow for PennDOT’s Paint the Plow Program. They are, from left to right, Emily Kiro, Ava deBruyn, Nora Kelley, Mira Owens, Shayna McDermott, Caroline Grimsley, Raina Guzman and teacher Joan Marangoni. Missing from the photo are Emilia Sutkowski and Lillian Salva.

The plow painted by nine Fox Chapel Area High School students has been named the winner of the “Judges’ Pick” award in the Pittsburgh region of PennDOT’s Paint the Plow contest. The program involved high school students designing original artwork and painting it on a snowplow blade that showcased the 2024 theme, “Use Your Reason When It’s Freezin’.” The snowplow blades are then used on PennDOT trucks throughout the winter season as they clean the roads.

Fox Chapel Area High School’s design was created by junior Caroline Grimsley. The other students who worked on the project were juniors Ava deBruyn, Raina Guzman, Nora Kelley, Shayna McDermott, Mira Owens and Emilia Sutkowski; and sophomores Emily Kiro and Lillian Salva. The project was overseen by Fox Chapel Area High School art teacher Joan Marangoni.

The winner of the Judges’ Pick award was determined through voting by PennDOT representatives and selected based on specific criteria, including the incorporation of the designated theme. The Fox Chapel Area High School students competed against students from across the Pittsburgh region, which includes Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Additionally, two Fox Chapel Area High School graduates, Scott Lewis (class of 1992) and Steve Leas (class of 2001), are driving the PennDOT truck featuring the Fox Chapel Area High School painted plow. The plow can be seen on their route which is on Route 28 between the 31st Street Bridge and RIDC Park in O’Hara Township, and on all the ramps in between that area.

The Paint the Plow Program was started in 2015 and includes students from most counties around the state. The statewide outreach program is a way for PennDOT and local communities to cultivate awareness and promote winter driving safety on state roadways.