NMS Top Voted Scarecrows Announced
Over Saturday and Sunday, October 21 and 22, people visited the front lawn of Newtown Middle School to view entries and vote in this year's Eighth Grade Scarecrow Contest, and the school announced the top winning scarecrows on Tuesday, October 24.The Winning ScarecrowsMore pictures of the scarecrow entries are available in The Newtown Bee's online photo gallery .here
NMS art teachers Leigh Anne Coles and Kristen Ladue said roughly 30 scarecrows were put on display for this year's contest. Voting, including a $1 donation per vote, began at 9 am on Saturday and student volunteers were already there overseeing the ballot collection, bundled up against the morning chill that later gave way to a warm autumn day.
This year the fundraising contest raised $1,935 to donate to charities, "which is the most we have ever raised," said Ms Coles October 24.
Each year eighth grade students are challenged to create a larger-than-life scarecrow that can withstand Mother Nature. While students can work alone, they are encouraged to work in groups. The money raised from votes goes to the charities of the top three winning groups' choosings, though this year's fundraising collection will be split between four groups, as there was a tie for third place.
This year's scarecrows impressed many who visited the front lawn on Saturday. Children walked up and sometimes into Snoopy's doghouse, or tried to touch the "candy" on a gingerbread house.
The Moana Raft or scarecrow entry 9 - created by Katie Larson, Amelia Daly, Kennedy Reeds, and Sophia Guevara - tied for third place with the Spider Robot or scarecrow 10 - created by Dillon Mingachos and Ethan Salvitti. Both scarecrows earned 93 votes, and each group will receive $241 to donate to a charity.
Second place, with 102 votes, was awarded to the Giant Fidget Spinner or scarecrow 21 - created by Melina Cummings, Emily Longo, Avery Landgrebe, and Molly McCleary. The group will receive $483 to donate to a charity.
With 249 votes the Elephant Made Out of Cans or scarecrow 31 - created by Elena Sughrue and Tessa Bigwarfe - came in first place. The girls earned $967 to donate to a charity.
Ms Ladue and Ms Coles said the student groups are expected to choose charities that will receive the winnings in the coming weeks.