VETERANS OF FOREIGN Wars Auxiliary Post 2891 of Crystal Falls will have student artwork from their Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest on display through Saturday at Charlie’s Emporium in Crystal Falls.

CRYSTAL FALLS — Alyssa Mitchell, a 10th-grade student from Forest Park High School, won first place in the VFW’s 2018-2019 Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest, organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 2891 of Crystal Falls.

Mitchell, who was sponsored by VFW Post 2891 and Auxiliary, created her 12-by-18-inch drawing as independent studies. Her summary of the piece was it “…expresses patriotism by showing that we have lost fellow soldiers, but we continue to keep fighting for our country… and for our fallen soldier…”

The People’s Choice award was decided by the voting that took place last month at the VFW 2891 clubroom bar. The top choice was an 18-by-24-inch colored pencil drawing created by Forest Park High School student Isabel Jones. Honorable mention went to Sarah Price, also a Forest Park 10th grader, for her 18-by-24-inch colored pencil creation.

The nine pieces of art are on display through Saturday at Charlie’s Emporium in Crystal Falls. The public is encouraged to come to view the display and read the artist’s summations of their work.

Other participants were Hanna Lesniewski, Victoria Ashcraft, Paige Mianecki, Elaina Perry, Casey Siewiorek and Noah Gilner.

In the fall, students are invited to start their new artwork for this worthwhile competition. 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 they must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

Each year, more than 3,500 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth.

Since application deadlines were not met, Mitchell’s entry does not advance to the state competition. State winners compete at the national level at the National VFW Convention in July for individual awards, ranging from $500 to $10,000.