Newtown Middle School announced the top three winning creations from this year’s My Favorite Scarecrow Sculpture Contest this week.

The “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or Scarecrow 6, created by Ben Nowacki, Jetson Ku, and Colby Fowler, took first place; the “Dream Catcher” or Scarecrow 31, Casey McClean, Isabella Manfredi, Carly Swierbut, Georgia Filter Calvo, Courtney Carroll, took second place; and the “Out With The Old, In With The New” or scarecrow 29, created by Isabella Wakeman and Grace Howgego, took third place.

Each year, prior to Halloween, groups of eighth grade students are challenged to design and create a “larger than life” scarecrow that can survive inclement weather.

The students are given a $30 spending limit on their projects, and each scarecrow is voted on by students and community members, for one dollar per vote. The money generated by the votes is split among the three top vote-getters and donated to the charity of the winners’ choice. The scarecrows were on view on the front lawn of the Queen Street school from October 18 to October 26, and the contest raised $1,185,

“The Itsy Bitsy Spider” creators have chosen to give their winnings to the Best Buddies Program, the “Dream Catcher” creators have chosen to donate their winnings to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the “Out With The Old, In With The New” creators have chosen to give their winnings to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary.