by Susan Brown
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
Springfield, Va., (Army News Service, Feb. 10, 1999) - The Armed Services YMCA has announced its 1999 poster art contest is underway now and will continue until July 16.
The contest dates were changed this year at the request of Department of Defense Education Activity teachers and child development program personnel, who recommended that more time be made available for children to participate.
Ten elementary school-age children -- two from each of the military branches -- will receive U. S. Savings Bonds and have their winning art published on the Internet. In addition, one of the five drawings will be featured on the 1999 Military Family Week poster, which will be displayed on all military installations. Five $500 U. S. Savings Bonds and five $100 Savings Bonds will be awarded to winning children. Runners up will also receive prizes.
"The contest is designed to help draw attention to the importance of the family and help children to know that they are appreciated," said retired Rear Admiral Frank Gallo, Armed Services YMCA national executive director. "Previous year's drawings have included a wide variety of military family activities from moving vans to family dinner tables with empty chairs," he said.
Contest information and the winning art work and poster of nine-year-old Kimberlee Fowler, of Fort Benning, Ga., who won last year's contest, is posted on the Armed Services YMCA Web site: www.asymca.org.
The contest is open to elementary school-age children of all military families (K-6), including Reserve and Guard components. Family centers, DoDEA schools, child development centers, home-schooled children, and all agencies which conduct children's programs are encouraged to participate.
The Armed Services YMCA is making a special effort to reach families serving "isolated" tours of duty, such a recruiting, reserve training units, and those assigned to embassy duties.
The theme this year is: "My Military Family." Each entry must include the name, age, grade level, and address of the participating child along with information about the parents including full name, rank, military unit, and a telephone number. Families on permanent change of station orders should include receiving command information to ensure the winning child can be notified. More than one entry per child is permitted.
Poster design submissions should be on 8 1/2" X 11" white, unlined paper. All drawings should be in color.
Entries may be submitted at any time, but must be received by the Armed Services YMCA National Headquarters in Springfield, Va., by July 16.
Drawings may be forwarded through an Armed Services YMCA branch, through any agency on the installation, or by parents directly to the Armed Services YMCA National Headquarters, 6225 Brandon Ave., Suite 215, Springfield, VA 22150-2510.
(Army Editor's note: Brown is a writer with the Armed Services YMCA public affairs office.)
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