By George Zeliff
Mail

The annual Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association art contest is back for all Fountain Hills school-aged children.

Students are invited to participate in the contest and have a chance to win cash prizes and have their art displayed at the Dark Sky Festival Saturday, March 30.

This year’s theme is “Discover the Night Sky.” Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category and age level. The top 10 entries from each grade level category will be displayed online and at the Community Center during the week leading up to the festival.

FHUSD art teachers will have complete guidelines and entry forms for students. Homeschoolers can get entry forms and more information by contacting Peggy Yeargain at peggy.yeargain@gmail.com or Cindy Couture at cindycarolcouture@hotmail.com.

All artwork must be submitted with a signed parent permission entry form taped to the back. Artwork can be submitted to art teachers, dropped off at the district main office, or given to Yeargain or Couture directly. The deadline to submit artwork is Thursday, Feb. 29.

Grades K-5 can submit drawings or paintings illustrating the night sky. Middle school and high school students can submit drawings, paintings or digital art. Students can only enter one art piece in each category, and entries must be sized 8.5 x 11 to 22 x 28, landscape orientation preferred.

Grade level categories are kindergarten, 1-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12. The top three kindergarten winners will each receive $25. First place winners in every other category will receive $100, and second place winners will receive $50. Third place winners will receive $25.

Winners will be notified by email, and prizes will be awarded on Saturday, March 30, at the opening festivities of the Dark Sky Festival in the Community Center ballroom. To learn more about the Dark Sky Festival, visit www.fhdarksky.com/events/festival/.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. George Zeliff can be reached at gzeliff@iniusa.org.