Metra is proud to announce the Fourth Annual Metra Safety Poster Contest. The Safety Poster Contest is a key part of our ongoing effort to increase public awareness of lifesaving railroad safety practices. This year's poster contest theme, "Make the Right Choice: Look, Listen and Live" highlights the importance of following the rules and procedures that will keep us all safe around trains and railroad tracks. One first, second and third place winner will be selected from each grade, K-12, and awarded the following prizes:

First Place: Notebook Computer
Second Place: $250 Gift Card
Third Place: $100 Gift Card

In addition, winning designs will be distributed to more than 2,000 schools in Northeastern Illinois, featured in Metra's Safety Calendar, on the contest Web site, in station displays and on monthly tickets.

Metra will recognize the school who submits the most entries in the 2009-2010 Safety Poster Contest by awarding it a new computer compatible with its current system. Every school's entries will be totaled after the contest deadline on March 1, 2010 and a computer will be presented to the winning school's principal before the start of the next school year.

Don't forget to enter the Second Annual Metra Safety Essay Contest. Participants are asked to explain in 300 words or less how you "Make the Right Choice" to be safe around trains and railroad tracks and what others can do to also make the right choice to be safe.

Within this site, you will find a complete listing of all contests' rules and guidelines as well as downloadable entry forms, logos and poster templates. You can even submit your completed contest entry through this site.

Teachers, we invite you to visit our Teachers Section, where you will find materials such as fact sheets, coloring pages and bulletin board displays to help integrate railroad safety into your lesson plans.

Welcome and good luck, we look forward to receiving your talented entries!