If your student wants to put their drawing or painting skills to the test, their work could end up pinned to walls throughout Lawrence next year.

As part of a city of Lawrence calendar poster contest, students in four age groups, from kindergarten through 12th grade, can submit an original piece of art on the theme of “Recycling Through The Seasons.” Winning entries will be featured in the 2016 calendar to commemorate the anniversary of the city’s residential curbside recycling program. Contest winners will receive a copy of the calendar, T-shirt and will be recognized at a City Commission meeting.
Six submissions per age group will be selected to move on to public voting at the upcoming America Recycles Day Celebration on Nov. 13. The top three voted poster submissions per age group will be placed in the calendar.

The City of Lawrence Solid Waste Division is hosting the calendar poster contest to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Curb It With Blue recycling program in Lawrence, as well as America Recycles Day.
All artwork must be on 8.5-by-11 inch, unlined white paper in landscape orientation. Posters should be submitted by Nov. 2. The poster contest informational flier with the contest rules and submission form is available on the city’s website.

Students can turn in their poster artwork and submission form to their teacher. Entries can also be mailed to City of Lawrence Recycling, PO Box 708, Lawrence KS 66044, or dropped off at the Waste Reduction and Recycling building, 320 NE Industrial Lane. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If you want to expand your celebration of the holiday, Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department is offering several Halloween-themed events for the entire family over the next couple weeks.

The 44th annual Halloween Paint-In lets participants decorate windows throughout Downtown Lawrence. Participants must register, submit a sketch of their window design and attend an organizational meeting. The event is free and open to anyone third grade and older, including adults. The Paint-In will be from 8 a.m. to noon on Oct. 24 throughout downtown. Each participant will receive a Halloween Paint-In T-shirt.

Register can be done online at the city’s website, and participants must register by 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 21. Designs can be submitted at Holcom Park Recreation Center, 2700 W. 25th St. The organizational meeting will be 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive.

Lawrence Parks and Recreation, Downtown Lawrence Inc. and the Lawrence Breakfast Optimists Club are hosting the event. For more information you can contact Duane Peterson, LPRD special events and facilities operations supervisor, at 832-7940.

Spook ‘N’ Splash will be from 1 to 7:45 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive. The program is open to children ages 2 to 12. Children wearing a costume will receive free admission with a paid adult admission (limit two children per adult). Each child will also receive a small treat when they leave for the day. Contact the Aquatics Division at 832-SWIM (7946) for more information.

“The Enchanted Forest” Halloween open house will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper St. The event is open to kids and adults and will take place around Mary’s Lake, which is adjacent to the nature center. The event is $3 per person and free for children under 2, and participants are encouraged to come in costume. You can contact Prairie Park Nature Center for more information at 832-7980.