Contest Invitation
As part of 2022 West Virginia Katherine Johnson Day celebrations, the Greenbrier Historical Society (“GHS”) in Lewisburg, West Virginia, invites students in grades 6-8 to creatively visualize Katherine Johnson’s story in the 2022 GHS “Reaching for the Moon” Graphic Art Contest. The contest is open to all children in grades 6-8 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools who are residents of West Virginia. For more details on the contest, please see attached/below.
 
Contest Theme and Inspiration
​Based on Katherine Johnson’s autobiography, Reaching for the Moon, The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson or another Katherine Johnson biography source, we would like students to use graphic arts to visualize one of the key success themes for Katherine Johnson’s life.
In your graphic art, we want to see how you interpret one of Katherine Johnson’s published themes for success in her life, or how you interpret Katherine Johnson’s life story of  “Reaching for the Moon.”
 
For some additional inspiration, some of the following success themes have been shared by Katherine Johnson in her autobiography or on the website for the Katherine Johnson Foundation (Official Website of the Katherine Johnson Foundation - Katherine Johnson):

• “Once you understand the background of any idea, you can figure any problem out for yourself”
• “I loved numbers and numbers loved me. They followed me everywhere.”
• “You are no better than anyone else, but nobody else is better than you.”
• “People should convene to help one another…you always lend a hand to other human beings.”
• “If I’ve done anything in my life to deserve any of this, it is because I had great parents who taught me simple but powerful lessons that sustained me in the most challenging times.”
• ”You have to be twice as good to be thought of as half as good.”
• “Bad things happen, and then life goes on.”

An example submission of graphic art about themes of success in Katherine Johnson's life.

​Contest Deadline
​The Art Contest submission period begins in May and concludes on July 15, 2022 at midnight EST. We are asking schools, organizations, and community groups to encourage parents/guardians to submit one entry per student. A first place, second place, third place, and honorable mention winner will be selected from all entries.
 
For additional information or questions, please email: [email protected].

Contest Rules
Eligibility
The contest is open to all children grades 6-8 who are attending public, private, parochial, or home schools in West Virginia. The WV students should be in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade as of May 27, 2022.

Requirements

• Students must be currently enrolled in grades 6-8 as of 5/27/22.
• Artwork must be an original work of the student.
• Artwork may not be longer/larger than an 8 1/2” x 11” page.
• Artwork must be delivered as graphic or comic art as defined by the following:  A pictorial narrative in deliberate sequence—with or without text—that tells a story or develops an idea using a single panel or multiple panels. Examples include, but are not limited to: Comic strips, comic books, storyboards, webcomics, or selections from graphic novels.
• Do not base artwork characters and plots on already published comic books or published series.
• Artwork is limited to one entry per student.
• Artwork may be submitted either digitally or mailed to the Greenbrier Historical Society
• Mailed artwork must be mailed to the Greenbrier Historical Society at 814 Washington St. W, Lewisburg, WV 24901.
• Mailed artwork must be postmarked by July 15, 2022 and digital artwork must be submitted below or emailed to [email protected] by July 15, 2022 at midnight EST.
• Digital artwork should be submitted as a high-resolution image (e.g.  minimum of 2,400 pixels by 2,400 pixels) of the student’s original artwork.
• Each digital artwork file must be under 5 Megabytes in size and must be submitted in .jpg or .png format.
• Each piece of art must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian of the student and include the signed permission form.
• Additional authorizations and requirements are contained in the Official Entry Form that must be acknowledged and agreed to with each submission.

Submitting Entries
The Art Contest submission period begins in May 2022 and concludes on July 15, 2022 at midnight EST.  We are asking schools, organizations, and community groups to encourage parents/guardians to submit one entry per student.  Entries must be submitted at the bottom of this page, to the following email [email protected], or mailed to the Greenbrier Historical Society at 814 Washington St. West, Lewisburg, WV 24901. Please submit both forms below with your contest entry.

Contest Entry Form
File Size:	22 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Contest Release Form
File Size:	53 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Criteria
Entries will be evaluated based on originality, interpretation of success theme, visualization of Katherine Johnson’s life story, creative techniques, composition, and overall graphic art appearance.
 
Judging
Contest officials will select the top submissions and present them to a panel of five judges. Those judges will make selections based on the above-mentioned criteria to determine which pieces will be awarded 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention.

Awards
First place, second place, third place, and honorable mention winners will be selected.
Awards will be given as set forth below.
 
1st Prize

• $300 and certificate
• 10 copies Katherine Johnson’s autobiography Reaching for the Moon to be donated by GHS to your school library in the winner’s name
• Artwork to be displayed as part of the GHS Katherine Johnson Festivities in White Sulphur Springs (WSS) on 8/26 and 8/27

2nd Prize

• $200 and certificate
• 5 copies Katherine Johnson’s autobiography Reaching for the Moon to be donated by GHS to your school library in the winner’s name
• Artwork to be displayed as part of the GHS Katherine Johnson Festivities in WSS on 8/26 and 8/27

3rd Prize

• $100 and certificate
• 2 copies Katherine Johnson’s autobiography Reaching for the Moon to be donated by GHS to your school library in the winner’s name
• Artwork to be displayed as part of the GHS Katherine Johnson Festivities in WSS on 8/26 and 8/27

Honorable Mention

• $50 and certificate
• Artwork to be displayed as part of the GHS Katherine Johnson Festivities in WSS on 8/26 and 8/27