CRYSTAL FALLS — The Veterans of Foreign Wars Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest deadline is Thursday, notes Commander Shannon Reinke of the Tufts-Rondon VFW Post 2891.

Local high school students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships.

Two-dimensional art must be on canvas or paper. Watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen, ink, oil, marker or other media taught may be used. The art should be no smaller than 8-by-10 inches but no larger than 18-by-24 inches, not including matte.

Three-dimensional art can be paper, papier-mache, pottery, clay, metalwork, etc. Pieces should be no smaller than 8 inches in any direction and no larger than 24 inches in any direction. Art cannot be more than 5 pounds in weight. Digital art, photography and jewelry are not accepted.

Students must be in grades nine through 12. Students must attend school in the same state as the sponsoring VFW auxiliary. Home-schooled students are eligible, foreign exchange students are not. Students must be a maximum of 18 years of age at the time of local entry, and must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. The entry must have been done during the current school year and must have a teacher’s or supervisory adult’s signature.

Each student may submit only one entry. National winners of past contests may not compete in future Young American Creative Patriotic art contests.

Each entry will be judged on the originality of concept, presentation and patriotism expressed; the content of how it relates to patriotism and clarity of ideas; the design technique; total impact of work; and uniqueness.

Local winner’s artwork is sent on to State Department judging by April 15. The department winner is eligible for the national competition. The department winners will be judged at the National Convention during the summer. The first-place winner receives a $15,000 college scholarship.

For more information, go to vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships/young-american-creative-patriotic-art-contest.