State’s VFW Auxiliary kicks off art contest

VFW Auxiliary Department of Illinois announced the kickoff of the VFW Auxiliary’s annual Illustrating America art contest.

Local students in kindergarten through eighth grade can share how they view our world through their drawings and paintings while competing for national awards.

Students must submit an original two-dimensional piece of artwork. Coloring sheets, digital art and photography are not accepted. The entry must have completed during the 2022-23 school year and the application must include a teacher or supervising adult’s signature.

Students begin by competing at the local VFW Auxiliary level. The first-place winner from each auxiliary advances to the district competition (optional) with district winners advancing to the state competition. The contest consists of three grade divisions: kindergarten through second grades, third through fifth grades and sixth through eighth grades. The state first-place winner in each grade division will be forwarded to Auxiliary National Headquarters. There is one national winner in each grade division, with awards for first, second and third place in each grade division. All-state winning entries are judged at National Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, in July and will be displayed at the VFW Auxiliary National Convention scheduled to take place July 22-27 in Phoenix, Arizona. Winners will be notified the week of July 30, via the email address provided on the winners’ entry form.

The contest, now in its third year, rewards the artistic abilities of elementary and middle/junior high school students. Student entries must be submitted to VFW Auxiliary 4668 by March 31. Interested youth, parents/guardians and teachers should contact Barb Sweger at 815-481-8288 or at deptilyouth2223@gmail.com for more information.

Visit http://www.vfwauxiliary.org/what-we-do/youth-activities for eligibility requirements, contest rules, an entry form and to see past winners in each division.