Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas students who helped clean up and beautify their communities can now apply for a scholarship contest awarding a total of $10,000.
The annual Don’t mess with Texas® Scholarship Contest is now accepting applications for the 2024 school year. All Texas high school seniors currently attending public, private or home school, and planning to attend an accredited college, university or trade school in the fall 2024 semester are eligible to apply.
Judges will select two winners based on applicants’ proven results in leading projects or efforts focused on educating communities about the importance of keeping our state and roadways clean and litter-free.
Sponsored by Ozarka and iHeartMedia, the contest recognizes the creativity of high school seniors who are taking a leadership role in preventing litter in their communities.
“It’s important that future generations feel empowered to create long-term, sustainable solutions to make their communities litter-free. Our state is counting on these leaders to keep Texas litter-free for decades to come,” said Norma Rios, program coordinator for TxDOT’s Don’t mess with Texas campaign.
Past winners include 2023 winner Hayden with Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy in Greenville. Hayden developed the Trashy Tuesday campaign. At least twice a month students would gather after school on a Tuesday and clean litter around their campus. The project expanded to cleaning community parks as well. Neddah with Brownsville Early College High School in Brownsville was another 2023 scholarship recipient. Neddah was a leader of the Environmental Club at her school. They conducted a litter survey, and then developed and implemented a litter management plan at her campus. They also created an on-campus recycling program and created a competition among the classrooms to see who can recycle the most.
Don’t mess with Texas has been educating Texans about litter prevention since 1986. The program includes annual “Trash-Off” community outreach events and the Adopt-a-Highway volunteer program.
To apply for the Don’t mess with Texas Scholarship Contest, visit dontmesswithtexas.org.
Applications must be received via online submission by 5 p.m. (CDT) on April 2, 2024.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Don’t Mess With Texas Scholarship Contest.
• The scholarship contest is open to any Texas high school senior currently attending public, private or home school, and planning to attend an accredited college, university, or trade school in the fall 2024 semester.
• The contest will award a total of $10,000 in scholarships to two winners in May 2024.
• To apply, visit dontmesswithtexas.org. Applications must be received via online submission by 5 p.m. CDT on April 2, 2024.
What types of candidates is TxDOT looking for in the Don’t mess with Texas Scholarship Contest?
• High school seniors who are going above and beyond to identify a litter problem in their community, and who are working to solve it with an original solution.
• Applicants will need to provide photos and data to quantify their projects and demonstrate results.
Litter is a big problem in Texas. One in four Texans admit to having littered in the past.
• Since 1986, Don’t mess with Texas has taught Texans the real cost of littering.
• Approximately 362 million pieces of visible litter accumulate on Texas roadways each year.
• The most common forms of litter are food/organic material, cigarette butts and small pieces of paper such as receipts and gum wrappers.
• You can be fined $500 every time you litter in Texas. And if what you toss weighs more than five pounds, you may have to pay up to $2,000.
Don’t mess with Texas® is a registered trademark of the Texas Department of Transportation.
