More contests for kids

The Phoenix Symphony hopes children will be inspired by classical music to paint, write poetry and dance as part of their DANCES IN THE DESERT contest

The Phoenix Symphony inspires children to more than making and enjoying beautiful music. Their “Symphony for the Schools” program presents an annual “Paint, Poetry, and Movement to Music Contest”which encourages students to create various art works inspired by particular pieces of music.

This year’s contest, dubbed “Dances in the Desert,” is being held in conjunction with their “Symphony for the Schools” concerts on April 26 & 27. Participating students must be part of a school group that is attending one of these concerts.

Students in grades K-8 are invited to submit artwork (paint, marker or crayon on white paper) inspired by “Tales from the Vienna Woods” by Johann Strauss, Jr. Winning artwork will tour with Young Arts Arizona during the 2011/2012 season.

 Students in grades 4-8 are invited to submit “free style” poetry inspired by “El Choclo (Tango Argentina) by Angel Gregorio Villoldo. The winning poet will be invited on stage to read his/her poem before the piece is played.

Students in grades 3-8 are invited to show off their “free form” dance moves inspired by “Gymnopedies 2. Lent et douloureux” by Erik Satie. The winning dance group or individual will be invited to perform live with The Phoenix Symphony during each concert.

There’s plenty of fine print for this contest, so please click here for submission guidelines and procedures as well as deadline information.

The Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence invites “K-12 students in afterschool programs across the state” to participate in an “Arizona Centennial Writing Project” to help mark the state’s 100th birthday in 2012.

“Participating students,” notes the Center, “can submit an essay based on three writing prompts.”

• I am proud that I live in Arizona because…
• Young people are important to Arizona’s future because…
• My vision for Arizona in the next 100 years is…

The project accepts essays in three grade-based categories: K- grade 4 (50-100 words), grades 5-8 (100-250 words) and grades 9-12 (500-750 words). “Students are encouraged to include elements of Arizona history, culture and geography in their essays,” according to the Center.

Essays are due May 27 — and you can click here to learn more about specific guidelines and submission procedures.

Submissions will be read by an independent panel of judges, who will select 100 essays for inclusion in “a special Voices of Afterschool commemorative publication.” The publication will debut Nov. 9 at an event honoring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor with the “2011 Afterschool Champion Award.”

Engage your children in various arts-related contests that come their way. For now, your children may be working with pencils and paintbrushes. But soon enough it’s our collective future they’ll be crafting.

– Lynn

Note: Please read all guidelines, requirements and submission/deadline details noted on sponsoring organization websites before entering.

Coming up: Youth theater company announces new season

Contests for kids

Every picture tells a story -- including this painting by Julie Buffalohead (Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma), which is part of a Heard Museum contest for 4th-8th grade students

I had some fun with my 17-year-old daughter Lizabeth the other day after we checked out a picture posted on the Heard Museum’s website, then tried to craft a story using the various elements in the picture — which include a twisted balloon dog, a tiny house, a young girl donning a crown, a caged bird and several other items.

Weaving all these pieces together was much harder than I expected. I’m guessing that the 4th through 8th graders for whom the Heard’s “Tell Me a Story” contest was designed will have an easier time of it, though some might be truly startled to see a collection of people and objects devoid of superstars or cell phones.

The Heard Museum invites 4th-8th graders to write their best story about what is happening in a painting by Julie Buffalohead (Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma) — which can be found on the Heard Museum website by clicking here.

The winning story (and those of several runner-ups) will be posted on the Heard Museum website, and the winner will receive a gift from the Heard Museum Gift Shop.

Stories, which must be under 1,000 words, are due no later than midnight on May 1, 2011. It’s a one entry per person contest, and each entry must include the writer’s name, school, grade and city/state.

Entries must be submitted to: TellUsAStory@Heard.org. Submissions will be judged by Julie Buffalohead (Ponca artist), Janet Cantley (Heard Museum Curator), Gina Laczko (Director of Education), Susan McMichael (Author and Guild volunteer) and Noelle Bowman (Newspaper reporter).

Students eager to enter the “Dear Aliens” contest sponsored by the “ASU Origins Project” will have to hustle a whole lot faster to meet their deadline. Submissions to the “Dear Aliens” contest are due April 1, 2011 – and are being accepted via good old-fashioned snail mail.

The contest ponders what we might say if aliens somehow tuned into Earth and said “Hello.” “We’re asking you,” say contest organizers, “to write in and tell us: If you had to speak for humanity, what would you say?“

K-12 students in Maricopa County are eligible to submit entries (though maximum word counts vary by age) — and must follow several guidelines you can read by clicking here.

Entries should be mailed to: Dear Aliens, ASU Origins Project, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 871902, Tempe, AZ 85287-1902. Alas — no extra points will be awarded for using outer space-related stamps or including Halloween photos depicting babies or pets in alien theme costumes.

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of alien experts including writers, scientists and scholars. “Winning entries,” I’m told, “will be bounced off the moon.” Winners will be announced early in April and at a special (and free) ceremony on April 9 at the ASU campus in Tempe. The aliens, I suspect, will need to participate via Skype.

– Lynn

Note: Please consult contest sponsors for all contest details, including eligibility, guidelines, deadlines and such.

Coming up: More contests for kids — from the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence and The Phoenix Symphony