Arkansas 4-H Foundation has a wonderful opportunity for students 5-19 in Arkansas. Schoolchildren can submit any 2-dimensional art, including photographs, for consideration in the Art of Farming contest. The contest benefits Arkansas 4-H, which serves thousands of kids in urban and rural Arkansas each year, but participants do not need to be 4-H members.
Prizes will include scholarship and cash prizes, and art work will be displayed in the C. A. Vines Center. Beyond the prizes and the excitement of participating in an art show, there are so many teachable aspects!
- Following directions. The official directions must be followed in order for a piece of artwork to be considered for prizes. Download the directions and work with your class to understand all the rules. Then use them as a checklist in preparing your artworks.
- Mixed media and photography as well as painting and drawing are allowed for content entries. This could be a great way to introduce the idea of a medium and how different media can be used to convey an idea.
- Improve photography skills with advice from National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths.
- Agriculture is the theme. Livestock, field crops, and other types of farming from market gardens to fish markets will be considered. What a wonderful way to introduce a study of agriculture!
- Are you a producer or a consumer? What raw materials are used in farming and what raw materials are produced, which then become other products? What agricultural items are imported and which ones are exported? Feel an economics lesson coming on?
- Learn about the 4-H, too. This organization has been in Arkansas for 150 years. They started off teaching kids about updated farming methods, figuring the kids could take those ideas home to their parents and be an efficient information delivery system. Now, the focus is not just on agriculture, but on 80 different programs ranging from STEM skills to ATV safety.
Here’s all the important stuff you need to know:
- Official Contest Guidelines
- Photo release forms
- Entries will be accepted Aug 1-Sept 28, 2011.
- Contact your local County Extension Agent with any questions.
This contest is only for students living in Arkansas. We’ll be happy to share details of contests in your state, too.
