Metamorphosis Cleveland: A Ravaged River Revitalized and 50 Years of Change

The Metamorphosis Cleveland contest and celebratory event was a cocurricular activity recognizing the 50th anniversary of the infamous Cuyahoga River fire on June 22, 2019. The theme of Metamorphosis Cleveland was sustainability and how Cleveland, the United States and the world have changed environmentally, socially and economically in the last 50 years.
Early in the Spring 2019 semester, the Metamorphosis Cleveland team launched a College-wide call for submissions asking students to interpret a sustainability-related change (or metamorphosis) meaningful to them — something environmental, social and/or economic. Submissions called attention to positive or negative changes.
Students could choose to enter one of five submission categories:
- Creative Writing: Poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction.
- Visual: Paintings, posters, sculptures, photographs, collage.
- Performance: Short plays, spoken word poetry, songs, dance.
- Media: Films, websites, social media campaigns, slideshows, board games.
- Academic: Research posters, PowerPoint presentations, academic papers and projects.
Metamorphosis Cleveland Event Photos

2019 Winners
Presidents' Award
Hi, I’m a Water Bottle- Choose your own adventure book about what happens to a plastic water bottle.
Mohammad Hamdan, Melinda Lashutka, and Kara Timinski
Westshore Campus Chemistry students, Paula Allotta – Faculty Sponsor
Community Judges' Award
From Then to Now- poem
Shanan Beasley
Eastern Campus English student, Casandra Sweeney – Faculty Sponsor
People’s Choice Award
Solar Panels
Madeline Clair, Elizabeth Skourlis, Jay Tamilio, Tysaun Blevins, Joseph Klucknik, and Olivia Rodriguez
Westshore/CCW Environmental Club, Anne Distler – Faculty Sponsor