Castillo de San Marcos seeks student artwork for annual pass

Education Coordinator Amelia Vela reported to Historic City News that August 25, 2016 marks the 100-year anniversary of the National Park Service.  Castillo de San Marcos wants to celebrate the Centennial by searching out the best artwork for the front of the park’s 2017 Annual Park Pass.

The annual pass provides entry for the pass holder, as well as three adult guests (16 years of age or older).  Children under 16 are admitted free.

Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections.

The focus of the student artwork contest centers around the Every Kid in a Park program which has the central goal of connecting fourth graders with their nation’s history and inspiring them to become future stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come.  For this reason, the art contest is open to all fourth grade students in St. Johns County.

The contest rules include:

• One entry is allowed per child and all artwork must be completed by the child.
• Draw or paint a picture that reminds you of Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. If you visited the park, what experiences did you have while enjoying the park?  What do you like most about fort?
• Artwork must be no larger than 16” x 20” landscape (horizontal) orientation. The final pass will be much smaller (about credit card size), so the winning artwork will be scaled down to fit the available space.
• Artwork may be completed by using colored pencils, paints, crayons, markers, pastels, etc., or by simply creating a pen and ink drawing.
• The original artwork must be sent by mail, or hand delivered, to the park at the following address: Attn:  Artwork Contest, Castillo de San Marcos NM, 1 South Castillo Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32084.  Please include Student Name, Mailing Address, Phone Number, and School.
• Entries must be received at the park no later than September 25, 2016.
• Contest entries will be evaluated on uniqueness, quality, and overall impression. Impartial members of the park staff will choose the winning design.
• All artwork submitted will become the property of the National Park Service for use in web and print publications for Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.

The winner will be announced by mid-October.  The winner will receive a 2017 Annual Park Entrance Pass to Castillo de San Marcos.