Contest winner Kaitlin Barninger stands aboard the Laketran bus wrapped in her design.

MENTOR, Ohio—The winning design in a Design-a-Bus-Wrap student art contest sponsored by Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions was unveiled earlier this month. The contest was open to middle school and high school students living in or being schooled in Lake County, Ohio, during the 2022-23 school year.

Kaitlin Barninger, a senior at Mentor High School, won first prize for her design entry themed, “Live Green, Live in Lake County.” Barninger’s design will be displayed for one year on one of the propane-powered Dial-a-Ride buses in the fleet of the county’s public transit agency, Laketran.

The bus wrap material was donated for the third year in a row by Lake County-based Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions. Premium MPI 1105 Easy Apply™ RS wrapping film was used to wrap the bus with DOL 1360Z optically clear overlaminate. Avery Dennison also donated their MPI 2528 50/50 perforated film for the bus window graphics. Akron, Ohio-based Repros Color donated its services to print and install the graphics on the bus.

“Avery Dennison is pleased to sponsor this program for the third year in a row in support of Laketran and the Lake County community,” said Amanda Stefanik, Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions senior marketing communications specialist.

“Our Avery Dennison team enjoys being involved in such a rewarding project where we can connect with our local area leaders, schools and students. We also appreciate the opportunity to increase awareness of the creative possibilities of vinyl graphics among art students, arts programs and art instructors. As Kaitlin Barninger illustrates with this year’s wrapped bus, graphic vinyl film can be a powerful, creative canvas that is visually engaging, both commercially and artistically,” Stefanik said.

“It has been really fun to work with Laketran and Avery Dennison on this project,” Repros Customer Support Representative Carlos Caudillo said. “The contest inspired creativity and communicated an important message by turning a public transportation shuttle bus into a billboard on wheels.

“As a former graphic design student myself now working professionally in the print industry, it was a pleasure participating as a judge and account manager for the project coordinating the print production and installation of the wrap,” he said.

“Our installers are familiar with Avery Dennison MPI 1105 Easy Apply wrapping film. The material was easy to work with, so the installation went smoothly without complications. The vinyl film works great for shaping onto pronounced concave areas. When heat is applied to the film and the material is stretched, it doesn’t lose its grip or adherence strength. Some other vinyl cast wrapping films lose their strength when heated and stretched.”

To learn more about Avery Dennison Vehicle and Fleet Wrapping Films, contact your Avery Dennison representative or visit graphics.averydennison.com/fleet.