WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- MassDOT’s fourth annual “Name a Snowplow Contest” officially began Wednesday, giving elementary school students across the state another chance to get creative with winter road maintenance equipment.

The contest has drawn significant participation since its inception, with over 2,000 entries submitted over the past three years, said MassDOT spokesperson Marshall Hook. “Last year, one of our most popular, Taylor Drift, kind of catching the moment, Sleetwood Mac, another musical one, Ice Ice Baby, C3P Snow,” he added.

The state is divided into six highway districts, with each district selecting two winning names. Winners will be announced on December 22. The program connects students with the workers who keep Massachusetts roads safe during winter weather, Hook said. “It’s great to see the excitement that these kids have. You know, we see these big yellow trucks all over the state. Nobody probably thinks much about them, but this whole program is designed to kind of connect school kids with the women and men who are doing that work to keep our roads safe,” he explained.

A group of MassDOT employees, primarily from the highway division, will review every entry submitted to the contest. “We have a group of MassDOT employees, primarily in our highway division, and what they do is they take a look at every single entry that they get and they go through it. It’s like a super-secret council of deciders of names,” Hook noted.

Hook advised students to avoid overused submissions when crafting their entries. “Be creative, be new. If you’re gonna give us Plowy McPlowFace, you’re not gonna win,” he said.

Last year’s winner from the Western Massachusetts district was Westfield’s “Glacier Gobbler.”

You can CLICK HERE for information about entering the contest. The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Friday, December 5.

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