Scarecrows On The Lawn
Scarecrows On The Lawn
By Laurie Borst
Mornings are crisp and cool. Maple leaves are turning oranges and yellows. What follows can only be the Newtown Middle School Scarecrow Sculpture Contest. The contest is open to all eighth graders and is mandatory for GATES and Art Enrichment students.
Since 1996, with a hiatus during 2003 and 2004, the Scarecrow Sculpture Contest has challenged students and delighted the community with more than 30 pieces of art displayed each year.
Working in small groups, students brainstorm ideas for theme and materials, then let their creative juices flow to create a larger-than-life sculpture. The artists must keep in mind that their sculptures need to be able to withstand the elements for a week. There is a $25 spending limit for supplies.
The sculptures will be set up on the front lawn of the middle school on the morning of October 13 and will be on display until Sunday, October 21. Ballots for public judging will be found in The Newtown Bee. To vote for your favorite scarecrow, fill out a ballot and submit it with $1 to Lorraine Conway, GATES teacher, or deposit it in the mail slot in the door of The Newtown Bee office.
Winners will be announced the week of October 22, with results published in The Bee on October 26. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second, and third place winners. Monies will be donated to the charity of choice determined by the winners.
Last year, almost $900 was raised. The first place sculpture, the Headless Horseman, saw its portion of the funds donated to The Animal Center. Other past recipients include the Childrenâs Christmas Fund, Canine Advocates, American Red Cross, and Habitat For Humanity.
The teachers facilitating this activity are Ms Conway, art teachers Arlene Spoonfeather and Claudia Mitchell, and applied technology teacher Don Ramsey.