AMES — Water Rocks!, the award-winning conservation and water quality education program from Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, announced its Second Annual Earth Week Chalk Challenge will kick off Friday, April 16. The contest is open to artists of every age and is meant to encourage everyone to get outside and express their love of nature during Earth Week through creating chalk drawings. Contest entries can be submitted by individual artists in youth or adult categories or teams.
“We saw tremendous participation and creativity in the Chalk Challenge last year, and are eager to see what Iowans will create and submit this year,” said Ann Staudt, Water Rocks! director. “The team category was added to encourage families, clubs, and classes to get outside and collaborate in creating masterful works of art. This year we’ve also introduced new themes to help jump-start the creative process.”
Themes for the 2021 Chalk Challenge:
* Billions of interesting things underground
* Iowa’s wetland biodiversity
* My/Our favorite natural resource is…
The contest runs April 16-25 and is free to enter. Winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges and People’s Choice winners will be selected through voting April 26-29 on the Water Rocks! Facebook page. All winners will be announced April 30. Water Rocks! prize packs will be awarded to the winners.
“We are delighted to partner with the Soil and Water Conservation Society and Artworks Studio in Carroll in producing the contest,” continued Staudt. “This contest provides an opportunity for everyone to get outside and enjoy the springtime weather while expressing themselves and their love of the earth in a fun and creative way.”
Details about the contest themes, entry process and timeline and rules are available at www.waterrocks.org/chalk-challenge.
To learn more about Water Rocks! and its youth education and outreach virtual and in-person programs, please visit www.waterrocks.org.