Newtown Middle School students are working to bring the annual Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest to the front lawn of the Queen Street school for voting by residents on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21.

The first and only meeting for students to learn about the annual contest was held at the school on September 5.

Since the program began in 1996, eighth grade students have been tasked to work in groups to create a larger-than-life scarecrow that can withstand Mother Nature. Students can work alone, but they are encouraged to work in groups.

The event is a fundraiser. As described in a handout shared with students at the September 5 meeting, “You get to build a creative project with your friends that raises money to give directly back to our community.” Money raised from votes goes to the charities of the top three winning groups’ choosing.

Once the scarecrows are on display, voting will be open to the public October 20 and 21. Members of the public may cast as many votes as they choose, with corresponding $1 donations. Ballots will be available at the school, and a copy of the ballot will be printed in the October 12 print edition of The Newtown Bee to cut out and submit with the corresponding $1 donation. Votes can be made during voting hours — 9 am to 5 pm on both days — at the school, or dropped off in The Newtown Bee’s letter slot in the front door of its 5 Church Hill Road office, with the envelopes marked “NMS Scarecrows,” by the end of that Sunday.

Students who attended the September 5 meeting were tasked with populating their groups and submitting ideas for their scarecrows by September 7. Students were directed to not include guts, gore, or violence in their creations. Part of the challenge is that each group is limited to spending $30 per scarecrow. The scarecrows are expected to be set up at the school on Friday, October 19, the day before voting will be open to the public.

The top three winning scarecrows from the contest will be announced, following the results being collected, both at the school and in The Newtown Bee.

The 2017 Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest raised $1,935 for local charities.