CREATIVE COMBO WINS STATE — Brooke High School junior Deedra Groves, was named her age division’s winner in the Recycling Coalition of West Virginia’s Freedom Contest. Grove’s sculpture and musical composition was named the best entry for grades 9-12 in the state-wide contest that promotes recycling. -- Contributed

WELLSBURG — A Brooke High School student’s love and talent for music and art has led her to receive the top award for her age group in the Recycling Coalition of West Virginia’s Freedom Contest.

Deedra Groves, daughter of Darcee and Don Groves of Weirton, created a musical composition to accompany the sculpture she made for the contest using recycled materials.

Entries for the annual contest, which is open to grades 4-12, could be an essay or poem, a painting or drawing, or a song or video.

Groves said this year’s theme for the contest was “It All Comes Back to You,” and reminded her of the major role music has played in her life.

“Starting dance lessons as soon as I could walk, I immediately fell in love with music,” she said.

Groves recycled material from her jazz shoes to cover a small box in which she placed a large paper mache musical note and hand, the latter of which she modeled of her own.

She wrapped both in pieces of sheet music from when she performed as a saxophonist in Brooke’s marching band.

The two sculptures are surrounded by flowers and small branches. These represent the environment, Groves explained, noting it is the environment which recycling helps to protect.

Along with her artwork, Groves submitted a recording of her song “Landfill,” for which she played alto and baritone saxophone and piano.

She exclaimed while the song begins on an upbeat note, it ends with “a sadder, impending feeling.” “This is to represent the slow deterioration of our nature due to pollution and littering,” Groves said.

A recording of the composition can be heard online at canva.com/…/ISdvScDOgtw27AQqJ0IPQ/watch. In addition to being recognized as the top winner for grades 9-12, Groves was presented a $250 gift card by the coalition.

Groves’ teacher, Sara Walden Roark, noted this is the third consecutive year a Brooke High School student has won the contest.