Local sixth grader earns national recognition for promoting utility safety

Student has an artful reminder to call 811 before digging

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• A local student achieved national recognition
• Young people can be powerful safety ambassadors
• Message is simple: Call 811 before you dig

ST. LOUIS (Aug. 10, 2026) - A local sixth grader has been awarded the grand prize in the 811 Student Safety Challenge Poster Contest sponsored by the National Energy Foundation (NEF) - an Ameren partner in providing underground utility safety education in the classroom.

Caroline, of Breese, Illinois, topped more than 1,000 poster entries from students in grades 4-6 nationwide who were challenged to create original artwork depicting "Safety is in your hands. Every dig. Every Time." Caroline's award-winning poster features creative characters and memorable messages illustrating the consequences of striking underground utility lines. View Caroline's poster and other entries at www.811contest.org.

According to Breese Elementary, students became familiar with 811 through such safety programs introduced during the school year. Ameren partners annually with NEF to distribute utility energy safety education to Illinois and Missouri students in grades K-12. In 2025-2026 school year, 27,300 students benefited from educational classroom packets. This outreach estimates reaching nearly 123,000 students and their family members across both states.

"We're incredibly proud of Caroline and the creativity she brought to this important safety message," said Pam Harrison, senior director of gas operations for Ameren Missouri. "Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois partner with the National Energy Foundation to bring utility safety education into classrooms because we know students can be powerful ambassadors for safety. Caroline's national recognition demonstrates how these lessons can inspire young people to help protect their families, neighbors and communities."

"As soon as I got my poster paper, I knew I wanted it to stand out and really say, 'Call 811! Be safe!' I wanted to make it memorable, and I wanted to add some humor as well, Caroline said. "I've loved art my whole life, and I was really happy when I saw a chance to share my art with other people and help people realize the importance of safety at the same time. My mom and my stepdad always tell me and my siblings to be smart and make safe choices, so I was really excited to learn that I could also, in a way, encourage safety."

Caroline's poster highlights a simple but important safety message. Calling 811 before digging helps prevent damage to underground utilities and protects people, property and critical infrastructure.

In 2025, there were 245,149 underground utility strikes in the United States, according to the Common Ground Alliance's (CGA) annual Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) report.

A 20-year study conducted by the CGA showed that utility hits resulted in $1.7 billion in property damage, 1,906 injuries and 402 deaths. Nearly 23% of incidents happened because homeowners or excavators failed to notify 811 before digging. Calling 811 is free and connects homeowners and contractors with local utility locators, who mark the approximate location of underground utility lines before digging begins.

In recognition of her achievement, Caroline will be honored by the St. Louis Cardinals during the Aug. 11 game at Busch Stadium, using the 8/11 date as a reminder of the importance of contacting 811 before digging. She will be joined by representatives from Ameren Illinois.

"On behalf of everyone at Ameren Illinois, we congratulate Caroline on her outstanding achievement," said Brad Kloeppel, vice president of gas operations for Ameren Illinois. "Winning a national contest is impressive on its own, but what makes Caroline's accomplishment even more meaningful is that she's helping educate others about a simple step that can prevent injuries and damage to critical infrastructure."

Caroline is also receiving recognition at the state level. State Rep. Charlie Meier, (Okawville, Ill.) is filing a resolution honoring her achievement.

"On behalf of Illinois House District 109, we congratulate Caroline on this outstanding award," Meier said. "Her creativity and commitment to sharing the important 811 safety message have made her family, school, community and state proud. Caroline's achievement is a wonderful reminder that young people can make a meaningful difference by encouraging others to call 811 before every digging project."

Kloeppel and Harrison reinforced the three simple steps that need to be taken before any digging project begins:

1. Call 811 or visit Missouri-811.org in Missouri or Illinois1call.com in Illinois at least three business days before starting a digging project. Requests can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
   
2. Wait until a professional locator comes out to mark natural gas, electric, water, sewer, telephone and cable lines. The approximate location of buried utilities will be marked with paint and flags so you do not unintentionally dig into an underground utility line. Each utility type corresponds to a specific color of paint and flag - yellow for natural gas and red for electric - and all must be marked before you can dig.
   
3. Once the site has been clearly marked, proceed with caution. Avoid digging within the tolerance zone of each utility mark. The tolerance zone on each side of the utility mark is 24 inches in Missouri and 18 inches in Illinois. It is important to use the appropriate tools, dig with care and follow safe digging practices. If digging within the tolerance zone cannot be avoided, digging must be completed by hand.

About Ameren Corporation
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.5 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 67,700-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.