May 22, 2026, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Transportation:
LIMA, Ohio - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 is excited to reveal this year's winners of the annual Paint-the-Plow contest. Voting closed at 3 p.m. on May 20.
Upper Scioto Valley High School art students' plow featuring the Declaration of Independence earned the most votes in both the ODOT's Choice award and the People's Choice award. The artwork earned 1,515 votes on Facebook in total likes, shares, and comments, taking home the People's Choice Award and it received the most votes from ODOT personnel during the annual roadeo held on May 12.
People's Choice Winners (as voted on the Facebook page)
First place: Upper Scioto Valley High School - Declaration of Independence with 1,515 votes.
Second place: Hardin Northern High School - "Home of the free because of the brave" with a patriotic eagle, flag, and soldiers with 1,267 votes.
Third place: Ada High School - Pop-art, graffiti-style design featuring the Statue of Liberty, with 779 votes.
ODOT's Choice Winners (employees voted during the Roadeo on May 12)
First place: Upper Scioto Valley High School - Declaration of Independence.
Second place: St. Mary's High School – "250 Years of Freedom" and an eagle.
Third place: Crestview FFA Chapter – "Can your Mailbox Outlast the Plow"
"This year, students were asked to create artwork celebrating the United States' Semiquincentennial or Ohio's contributions to the nation's progress and success. The effort and creativity they poured into this theme is outstanding. We can't wait to showcase these pieces at parades and county fairs all summer long. They are so good, we will be reluctant to put them into use come winter and where the paint will begin to chip away," said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 Deputy Director.
The top picks from each county, as determined by ODOT employees:
- Allen County: Allen East High School FFA Chapter
- Auglaize County: St. Marys Middle School
- Hancock County: Cory Rawson High School
- Hardin County: Upper Scioto Valley High School
- Mercer County: Coldwater High School
- Paulding County: Wayne Trace High School
- Putnam County: Miller City High School
- Van Wert County: Crestview FFA Chapter
- Wyandot County: Mohawk FFA Chapter
All entries may be viewed on ODOT District 1's Facebook page.
Since 2014, ODOT District 1 has hosted an annual Paint-the-Plow contest, with a brief hiatus in 2020 and 2021. Schools unleash their creativity on real snowplows in this program which fosters community engagement, highway safety, school spirit, and color on the winter landscape. This year 24 schools participated from all nine counties in District 1.
ODOT District 1 services nine counties in northwest Ohio, including Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Wyandot.
