Roughly 70 students gathered in an art room at Newtown Middle School on Tuesday, September 8, to learn more about entering into the 19th annual My Favorite Scarecrow Sculpture Contest.

Each year NMS eighth grade students are challenged to design and create a “larger than life” scarecrow that can withstand the elements. Students and community members cast their votes for their favorites in dollar donations, with the money generated split among the three top vote-getters and donated to the charity of the winners’ choice.

Last year’s top three winning scarecrows were the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or Scarecrow 6, created by Ben Nowacki, Jetson Ku, and Colby Fowler, in first place; the “Dream Catcher” or Scarecrow 31, created by Casey McClean, Isabella Manfredi, Carly Swierbut, Georgia Filter, and Courtney Carroll, in second place; and the “Out With The Old, In With The New” or Scarecrow 29, created by Isabella Wakeman and Grace Howgego, in third place. The 2014 contest raised $1,185.

This year NMS teachers Leigh Anne Coles, Kristen Ciarletto, and Kristen Ladue are overseeing the contest. Ms Coles and Ms Ciarletto met with students in Ms Coles’s classroom on September 8 to share information about the contest and answer student questions. The after school meeting was the first and only full meeting before the scarecrows will be unveiled for the public in October. Until then the students will be working in groups of no less than two outside of school, with ideas and concepts passed by the teachers for approval.

As Ms Coles told the students last week, they “only have six weeks” to design and build scarecrow entries for this year’s contest.

“You are constructing a larger than life scarecrow that can withstand the wrath of mother nature,” said Ms Coles.

The students will also have to work within guidelines, like the scarecrows should not include blood or guts.

“Think Disney” Ms Coles said, while trying to explain the level of scary the entries can be. “You have six weeks from now until the start date to get this finished.”

The students are also challenged to build their scarecrows for no more than around $25, and all participants receive community service hours for participating in the project.

Scarecrow entries will be installed on the front lawn of NMS, 11 Queen Street, between the evening of Friday, October 23, and the morning of Saturday, October 24.

Scarecrows will start to be removed from the front lawn at the school by Sunday evening, October 25, through Friday, October 30.

Voting will be open in person October 24 and October 25 on the front lawn of the middle school from 10 am until 5 pm while students and chaperones are there to oversee voting booths. Votes can also be dropped off at The Newtown Bee’s 5 Church Hill Road building or at NMS's B-Wing office while screcrows are on view for the public, according to Ms Coles.

Ballots for the contest will be available at NMS and printed in the October 23 print edition of The Newtown Bee.