Illustrating America
An art contest for students in grades K-8.
CONTEST ELIGIBILITY
• Open to students in grades K-8 who are enrolled in a public, private, parochial or home study program
in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel
in overseas schools.
• Student must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.
• Student does not have to be related to a VFW or VFW Auxiliary member to participate.
• Foreign exchange students and students age 15 or older are ineligible.
• National grade division winners of previous Illustrating America contests may enter the subsequent
grade division but are ineligible for the same grade division of which they are a previous national winner.
CONTEST RULES
• Art must be two-dimensional.
• Art must be on canvas or paper.
• Watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen, ink, oil, marker, glitter or other media
may be used.
• Submit canvas entries on a stretcher frame or canvas board. Other entries must be matted in
white or reinforced with heavy paper.
• The art should be no smaller than 8” x 10” but no larger than 18” x 24”, not including mat.
Grades K-2
First place: $100 gift card
Second place: $50 gift card
Third place: $25 gift card
Grades 3-5
First place: $100 gift card
Second place: $50 gift card
Third place: $25 gift card
Grades 6-8
First place: $100 gift card
Second place: $50 gift card
Third place: $25 gift card
STUDENT DEADLINE
March 31: Student entries must be submitted to a local VFW Auxiliary.*
Entries not sponsored by a local VFW Auxiliary will be returned without being judged.
JUDGING AND AUXILIARY DEADLINES
Entry will be judged on patriotic theme and technique. If the American Flag is used, it DOES NOT need to conform to the
Federal Flag Code in relation to colors or number of stars and stripes.
One winner from each VFW Auxiliary advances to District judging (optional).
April 10: Local VFW Auxiliary and District judging complete.
One winner from each District (optional) advances to Department judging.
April 15: Local VFW Auxiliary and District (optional) winners to Department (state) Youth Activities Chairman for judging.*
One winner from each Department advances to National judging.
May 5: VFW Auxiliary Department (state) winners due to VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters.*
July: First through third place winners named in each of the three grade divisions and displayed at National Convention.
Winners will be notied by August 1 via the email address provided on the winners’ entry form.
* required deadlines
vfwauxiliary.org