Above / Pictured at the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, Olivia Rees is the Judd Kendall VFW Auxiliary representative in the 2021 Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest.
The Judd Kendall VFW Auxiliary has announced that Olivia Rees, a junior this past year at Naperville North High School, is the third-place award winner in Illinois of the Auxiliary’s 2021 Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. She was awarded a $150 check for her third-place recognition.
“Every year, more than 4,000 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest,” said Kathy Thornton, President of the Judd Kendall VFW Auxiliary. “We are thrilled that Olivia represented our local VFW Auxiliary so well.”
Dating back to 1979, the annual contest has recognized up-and-coming artists while encouraging patriotism in youth, Thornton said.
For the Judd Kendall VFW competition, Rees’ painting, “Unity,” was selected. A 250-word description of the artwork was required with every submission.
‘Unity’ by Olivia Rees
“In a sense, unity is the most explicit and important form of patriotism in American society. A collectivist mindset is a crucial aspect in manifesting a patriotic county, so living in an era where unity is encouraged instills pride in myself and others. Patriotism is certainly a collectivist value, encouraging Americans to set aside disagreements and differences by forming a shared love for America.
“I chose to capture this unity in my artwork, where I collected diversified facial features of military members who represent the pinnacle of patriotism through their sacrifices, courage and unity while fighting for the United States.
“The unity in the military and citizens alike is what patriotism represents, because our love for one another and for America can withstand any difficulties we encounter, regardless of our differences.
“Abraham Lincoln famously stated that ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand,’ illustrating the importance of unifying amid our differences and how unity boldly encompasses patriotism in extraordinary ways.”
VFW Auxiliary recognizes young artists with scholarship awards
Across the country, the VFW Auxiliary annually recognizes young artists with 10 national awards, now totaling $31,500. The national first-place winner receives a $15,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. The second-place winner receives a $7,500 scholarship; while the third-place winner receives a $3,500 scholarship.
Considering the opportunity to be awarded a $15,000 scholarship, Thornton is hopeful young local artists will become aware of contest deadlines and information in order to submit art and participate in the award-winning scholarship contest for 2022.
Student entries must be received at the local VFW Auxiliary by March 31, 2022. Other judging information and deadlines will be provided at a later date during the upcoming school year, Thornton said.
For now, students bound for higher education are encouraged simply to watch for notices at local high schools via guidance departments or art teachers about the 2022 competition hosted by the Judd Kendal VFW Auxiliary.
Photos by James Hoch Photography.
Eligibility requirements and contest rules / Apply in March 2022
Local residents are encouraged to help spread the information to young artists about the Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. Consider the eligibility requirements and contest rules, along with a few of the scholarship submission requirements:
- Applicants must be students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in a public, private, or parochial high school or home study program within the U.S., its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
- Students must be a United States citizen or national.
- Student is not required to be related to a VFW or Auxiliary member to participate; however, the student must attend school in the same state as the sponsoring VFW Auxiliary.
- Ineligible applicants are foreign exchange students, students who are 20 years-of-age or older, General Education Development (GED) and adult education students, or national winners of previous Patriotic Art Contests.
- Application entries must be completed during the current school year.
- Attach a completed Patriotic Art Contest application to the back of the entry with a typed explanation of the entry (250 words or less).
- The Patriotic Art Contest application must include a signature from a teacher or supervisory adult.
- If the American Flag is used as an entry, it must conform to the Federal Flag Code in relation to colors, number of stars and stripes and other pertinent rules of the code.
- Ineligible entries are digital art, photography and jewelry.
- Eligible two-dimensional art must be on canvas or paper and not framed. Materials accepted include watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen, ink, oil, marker or other media taught.
- Eligible three-dimensional art can be paper, papier-mâché, pottery, clay, metal work, fabric, wood, etc.
Want to learn more about Judd Kendall VFW Auxiliary?
For information about the Judd Kendall VFW Auxiliary, membership and its programs, contact Kathy Thornton at kmrthornton@sbcglobal.net. For membership eligibility and an application form for the local VFW Auxiliary, click www.napervfw3873.org to go directly to the information.
