School-aged students are being asked to take part in an art contest meant to help in Washington's fight against the spread of invasive species.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Invasive Species Council announced this week that they are holding an invasive species art contest.
Students in grades K-12 will be able to submit artwork for the contest. Winners will have their work displayed at WDFW's invasive species check stations in Spokane, Clarkston, Cle Elum and on U.S. Route 395 near Tri-Cities.
The work will also hang in WDFW's invasive species outreach trailer, which travels throughout the state and the northwest to teach the public about the threats posed by invasive species.
"We need the creativity of young people to help us get the word out about the damage invasive species can do and how it impacts all of us," WISC coordinator Stephanie Helms said in the release.
The contest runs through May. Submissions must include pictures or information about a specific species, according to the release. A full list is available in the contest rules, but some of the options include quagga and zebra mussels, northern pike, feral swine and African clawed frogs.
The two agencies are encouraging participants to use digital mediums like photos, illustrations, cartoons and digital paintings, but they will accept high-resolution scans of artwork.
There are three divisions split by grades:
• Kindergarten through fifth grade
• Sixth through eighth grades
• Ninth through 12th grades
Judges will select three winners in each division. First-place winners will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and a poster print of their work. Second-place winners will receive a $50 gift card, and third-place winners will receive a $25 gift card.
Contest rules and more information is available at invasivespecies.wa.gov/event/invasive-species-art-contest/ .
