Young people who live around the Ninth Street Gateway Project will have a chance to add some beauty to their neighborhood through a special contest.

“Gateway to Community Pride” is a joint venture between Mike Holtz of the Holiday Express Inn and Suites and Ironton In Bloom. The Holiday Inn is one of several construction projects slated for the Ninth Street area.

“We had a group of ministers who came to us and seeing improvement in the neighborhood were trying to get the youth involved,” Ralph Kline, of Ironton In Bloom, said.

This Saturday and May 10 neighborhood youth can pick up for free a planter with seeds and create their own mini-garden for their front porch or yard.

“They will register, plant the planter and take care of it through the summer months,” Kline said.

Then after the season, members of IIB will judge the planters with prizes awarded.

“They have to show up and fill out a registration form and their parents need to come,” Kline said. “They will be given a planter that is assigned to them.”

The planters must be predominantly displayed and will be judged in two categories — best looking and best maintenance. The contest is opened to three different age groups ranging from 6 to 16 years old.

The neighborhood eligible for the contest is from Eighth Street to the U.S. 52 and Park Avenue to Ironton High School.

Planters may be picked up this Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Quinn Chapel at 8 Adams St. and at the community center in front of the Ironton Housing Authority on Ninth Street from 11a.m.-noon on May 10. There will be 50 planters given away.

In the fall the participants can bring their planters back to the Farmers Market and receive a $5 refund.