State Department of Education seeks student holiday card art

The State Department of Education is now accepting Holiday Card Contest submissions from Idaho students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Winning entries from each grade level will be published on the SDE website. One piece of artwork will be selected for use as the department’s official holiday card. The young artist who submits the winning design will receive cards for personal use.

“The joy, talent and creativity Idaho schoolchildren put into their holiday card designs is remarkable and brings joy to all who see them,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said. "We at the State Department of Education look forward to this contest each year. It’s difficult to choose winners from the hundreds of colorful entries, but the process is delightful.”

The contest is open to all Idaho public school students in grades K-6.

Holiday artwork must be submitted or postmarked by Nov. 13. Changes to contest guidelines this year allow digital submissions, but the art still must be hand drawn. Find the form for digital submissions on the SDE website. Mail entries to Idaho State Department of Education, Holiday Card Contest, attn. Karli Bennett, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0027.

Entries should reflect holiday or winter scenes and cannot include copyrighted images such as Garfield the Cat, Bugs Bunny or Disney characters. Drawings should be on 8.5-by11.5-inch paper in landscape format and labeled with the student’s name, grade, school, school district and teacher’s name.

Students are encouraged to completely fill the page but keep the design simple, using as many colors as they want. Students may use watercolors, colored paper, magic markers, crayons or a combination of those items. Pencil drawings and fabric designs are not suitable for our printing process and will not be selected.

See last year’s winners and guidelines for this year’s contest: www.sde.idaho.gov/events/card-contest