Students name snowplows in ITD contest. Boise schools pick Clearapathra, NoMoreMr.IceGuy
The Idaho Transportation Department has selected 12 winners for their first annual “Name a Snowplow” contest. The names will be featured on 12 plows across the state. The names were submitted by mostly 8th-grade classes from across Idaho.
A few areas needed extra help coming up with names because it was a new contest, so ITD employees and their children got involved. The 12 winners were determined by an anonymous vote from ITD employees, according to Ellen Mattila, a spokesperson for the ITD.
“We divided the names up by district, we have six districts in ITD, and the employees voted on the names that were submitted in their area,” Mattila said in an interview over the phone. “Each employee got one vote, and then they were just voting on the name with no information about the submitter.”
Once the plow names are installed, ITD will coordinate educational visits with the winners to teach the students about snowplows and safe winter driving. Mattila expects the plows to visit the schools sometime in January, after the holidays.
“On behalf of safety for our over 400 plow drivers in Idaho, thank you to all the students and teachers for getting involved,” said Dan McElhinney, ITD chief operations officer in a press release. “Please look for those named plows and give them a wave and plenty of space to work if you see them out on highways helping our communities.”
Mattila echoed McElhinney’s reminder of safety around snow plows.
“We just want to remind people to give (snow plows) plenty of room to work,” Mattila said.”They’re big vehicles with big blind spots, so giving them tons of space when they’re on the road is super important.”
Here are the winning names, their locations and who named them:
North Idaho:
- The Berminator, Post Falls Middle School
- Big Snowplowski, Lakeland Middle School
North Central Idaho
- Alpha Storm One, employee’s child from Grangeville Elementary/Middle School
- Plowabunga!, employee’s child from Lewiston High School
Southwest Idaho
- Clearapathra, Hillside Junior High School
- NoMoreMr.IceGuy, Fairmont Junior High School
South Central Idaho
- Plowasaurus Rex, employee’s child who is homeschooled
- Darth Blader, employee’s child from Wendell Middle School
Southeast Idaho
- Snow Daddy, Franklin Middle School
- Snow Ranger, employee’s child from Blackfoot Middle School
East Idaho
- Antisnowcial, Swan Valley School
- POW POW KA PLOW, Rigby Middle School
