Atmore Memorial VFW Auxiliary Post No. 7016 announced the kick-off of the VFW Auxiliary’s annual Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest recently.

Local students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to compete for $29,500 in national scholarships.

This year, new categories, two and three dimensional art, have been added to the contest, according to officials. Students must submit an original 2- or 3-dimensional piece of artwork. Previously the contest accepted only two-dimensional art for judging. Beginning this year (2018-2019), three-dimensional art will be accepted and judged. Digital art, photography and jewelry are not accepted. The entry must have been done during the current 2018-2019 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 Atmore VFW Auxiliary will award $200 and art pin to First Place winner; $150 to second place winner; and $75 to third place winner. The first-place winner from each Auxiliary advances to the state competition. State first-place winners compete for their share of $29,500 in national awards, and the national first- place winner is awarded a $15,000 scholarship. National first- through eighth-place winners are featured in VFW Auxiliary Magazine and on the VFW Auxiliary website. All state winning entries will be held and displayed and judged at the VFW Auxiliary National Convention that will take place July 20-24, 2019 in Orlando, Fla.

The VFW Auxiliary started the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. Approximately 3,500 students participate each year and in addition to $29,500 in national scholarships, local and state VFW Auxiliaries throughout the nation award more than $130,000 in Patriotic Art scholarships every year.

Student entries must be submitted to Atmore VFW Auxiliary Post 7016 by March 31, 2019. Packets of information will be provided to local schools.  Interested students, parents and teachers should contact Gayle Johnson at (251) 359-0768 or atmorevfwaux@gmail.com  for more information.

To download an application and see the 2018 winners, visit https://vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships.