Participant Eligibility
- First-place winners of Metra’s 2021-2022 Safety Poster and Essay Contest are NOT eligible to enter in this year’s 2022-2023 contest.
- Both the poster and essay contests are open to all students in grades K-12 attending schools or residing in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
- Entries must be the student’s own work.
- Students may submit one entry each to the poster contest and/or one entry each to the essay contest.
Poster Entry Criteria
Participants are asked to illustrate why it is important to “Stay safe, Stay Off Train Tracks" when near the railroad tracks.
Each entry must be:
- Submitted at a size no smaller than 8.5 inches x 11 inches and no larger than 12” x 18”.
- Submitted via the contest email address: metracontest@metrarr.com or standard U.S. mail to: Jarrett Sardin, Metra Safety Poster Contest 547 W. Jackson Blvd. - Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60661
- No larger than 2 megabytes in size if submitted electronically.
- Submitted with a Metra Safety Contest entry form attached.
- The participant's original work.
Please note: All work must be the creation of a single student. A single entry created by a group of students will not be accepted. Entries using photography and/or trademarked or copyrighted characters will be disqualified. Please note that all winning entries will be scanned and converted to electronic images. Therefore, Metra cannot accept three-dimensional artwork. We also advise that entrants refrain from folding their artwork for mailing.
Essay Entry Criteria
Participants are asked to explain in 300 words or less why it is important to “Stay Safe, Stay Off Train Tracks” when near trains and railroad tracks.
Each entry must:
- Include the Entry Form
- Be the participant's original work.
- Be submitted via the contest email address: metracontest@metrarr.com, the electronic submission form or standard U.S. mail to: Jarrett Sardin, Metra Safety Poster Contest 547 W. Jackson Blvd. - Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60661
Please note: Essays containing fictionalized information will be disqualified.
Judging Criteria
Winning entries will be selected based on:
- Creativity
- Originality
- Fulfillment of contest guidelines
- Expression of the contest theme, "Stay Safe, Stay Off Train Tracks."
Winner Notification
Winners will be notified by the end of April 2023 so be sure to provide contact information including school and home addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers.
Prizes
Poster
For the poster contest, first-place, second-place and third-place winners will be selected from each participating grade level, K-12.
- First-place winners will receive a $500 Gift Card.
- Second-place winners will receive a $250 Gift Card.
- Third-place winners will receive a $100 Gift Card.
Winning entries will be printed as next year's weekend tickets and featured in the 2024 Metra Safety Calendar.
Essay
One winner will be selected from each of the following groups, Elementary School (grades K-4), Middle School (grades 5-8) and High School (grades 9-12). The winner of each group will receive a $500 gift card.
Winning entries will be featured on the Metra Contest website and in the 2024 Safety Calendar.
Deadline
All entries must be received electronically or postmarked by Feb. 17, 2023
Entries can be submitted via metracontest@metrarr.com email address or via standard U.S. mail to: Jarrett Sardin, Metra Safety Poster Contest 547 W. Jackson Blvd. - Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60661
Details
Please contact Metra at metracontest@metrarr.com or at (312) 735-9735, if you have any questions.
Entry Forms
Questions?
Please contact Metra at metracontest@metrarr.com or at (312) 735-9735, if you have any questions regarding participation and contest rules.
By submitting materials for Metra's 2022-2023 Safety Poster and Essay Contest, you are agreeing that all participants have parental consent to submit materials to Metra. Additionally, you are giving Metra permission to use the name, hometown and school of each participant. Pictures of winners also may be taken for and used in Metra promotional activities related to the essay contest.
Metra is not responsible for lost or incomplete entries. Metra cannot return completed entries submitted as part of the contest. Once submitted, Metra becomes the owner of all essays and related materials.